by: Lorena Townsend on 8/31/2006
The Firefighters Fund Still Benefiting Local Fire Departments:
June 8, 2002 was a day to remember for thousands of Colorado residents as the Hayman Fire began its rampage across a four county area in Colorado. A local coffee shop ended up harboring numerous fire fighters and refugees during the following weeks. Java Junction, located in Gold Hill Square in Woodland Park, became a sanctuary for those looking for support and a haven for fire fighters looking for a little relief at the beginning and end of each day of fighting the monstrous Hayman Fire.
Following a small contribution from a local citizen, The Firefighters Fund was born. Initially thought that it would be a way to buy food and water for the local fire fighters, The Firefighters Fund quickly grew along with the enormity of the Hayman Fire into an organization that generated over $120,000 and an estimated $1 million in supplies donated by generous people from across the country. These funds and supplies were distributed to seven volunteer fire departments, including NETC, Mountain Communities, Florissant, Divide, Lake George, Trumbull, and 4 Mile as well as fire fighters, evacuees, and volunteers during the fire. The Firefighters Fund has expanded since the Hayman Fire to include Cascade, Green Mt. Falls/Chipita Park, Guffey, Cripple Creek and Victor fire departments and the Woodland Park Ambulance Service. Ongoing fundraising efforts will be divided between all thirteen organizations.
The Firefighters Fund is still active today. Local resident Rob Brown was instrumental in the collection of dozens of signed pieces including guitars, shirts, posters, etc. The Guitar Center provided guitars at cost to The Firefighters Fund. The Firefighters Fund provided T-shirts. Boulder Street Gallery framed a number of the shirts with UV proof glass at cost. Brown obtained the signatures with the permission of Live Nation.
The results of these efforts include guitars signed by:
Yes, The Dead (not for auction), The Allman Brothers Band, Crosby, Stills and Nash,Government Mule, Eddie Van Halen, Nickelback, Blues Traveler with North Mississippi All Stars, Korn, Johnny Lang, Godsmack, Maroon5,Wilco, Ziggy Marley, John Mayer and Widespread Panic;
Framed T-shirts signed by:
Robert Randolph, Primus, Sarah McLachlan, Godsmack, 311, John Mayer, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Blues Traveler, Rush, Gloria Estefan, R.E.M, Incubus, The Dead, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Eddie Van Halen, Dave Matthews, Maroon 5, Jack Johnson and Ben Harper
Unframed shirts: North Mississippi All Stars, Simon and Garfunkel, Les Claypool's Frog Brigade, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe;
miscellaneous items: Drum Head signed by Blues Traveler, Harmonica signed by John Popper, Washboard signed by North Mississippi All Stars, Poster signed by Big Head Todd and The Monsters.
Firefighters and musical enthusiasts can go online to www.thefirefightersfund.cmarket.com and begin bidding on these items collected by The Firefighters Fund volunteers over the last 4 years. The on line auction will end September 24, 2006 at 6 p.m. (MST).
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