Powell’s infamous spring winds took hundreds of dollars from a local woman on Friday, but the generosity of community members gave it back.

The woman called the Powell Police Department on Monday to report that $500 had blown out of her hands at the Maverik gas station; the distraught resident explained that her utility payments were due this week and she now had no money to pay the bills.

With the call to police coming days after the event, it was too late for officers to help search for the cash, but Powell Police Department Communications Supervisor Bobbie Colvin took to Facebook to ask if anyone had found the windswept money.

A resident quickly came forward with $20 they’d found and community members came up with another idea: They rallied to collect another $480 in donations.

Dispatchers at the police department took on the task of gathering the money, carefully tracking the cash. The department was prepared to take donations until 7 p.m. Tuesday, but community members hit the $500 goal before 4 p.m.

Colvin said the woman was “shocked” when a dispatcher notified her of the donations.

“She was just like, ‘You guys did what?!’” Colvin said.

Colvin wrote an update on Facebook thanking everyone who offered money.

“Many of us often laugh about the small town atmosphere and all it brings,” she wrote. “Everybody knows everybody’s business, but we take care of each other as well, whether it is a tragedy or serious illness, we care for each other.”

Although the fund drive ended once the $500 goal was reached, “we’re turning people away today that are coming in wanting to donate,” Colvin said Wednesday.