In Sunday's The Denver Post an article describes Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman going undercover to the homeless camps. He found that all received donated food and cash on a daily basis. He found none had any intentions of getting a job or quitting drugs. No doubt, this is happening in Durango.

As Purple Cliffs close, I would propose the resurgence of a county farm, commonplace from the Depression until the middle 1970s. Here they grow gardens, tend to livestock and become self-sufficient. The City of Denver has the Mercy Farm in Wellington. It has worked well, getting people off Denver’s streets, off drugs and giving back self-respect.

The idea of handouts has failed and been taken advantage of. Let's now try a hand up.

John Rankin

Durango