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/Chipeta 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. During the Fall of 2005, The Firefighters Fund will auction off a collection of T-shirts and guitars signed by musical artists visiting Colorado over the last two years. With the permission of Live Nation, over 30 T-shirts and 15 guitars have been collected to sell at a special fundraiser auction. Local resident Rob Brown was instrumental in the collection of these signed pieces. 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. The results of these efforts include pieces signed by the Allman Brothers, Blues Traveller, North Mississippi Allstars, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Eddie Van Halen, Korn, Yes, The Dead, and Simon and Garfunkel to name a few. Additional items will be available for bid in a silent auction to be held during the same time.

For additional information contact Java Junction at 719-238-8781.

Pikes Peak Community Foundation

The Firefighters Fund has partnered with the Pikes Peak Community Foundation to help us achieve our charitable goals. Learn more about PPCF:

Mission Statement: To serve as the leading resource for philanthropy in our region by investing grant funding in our community, helping people create permanent charitable funds, and providing leadership for community issues.

• We help people achieve their charitable goals
• We invest grant funding to help non-profits achieve their mission
• We create permanent endowments to benefit our community
• We educate people about philanthropy