Seattle-Area Fundraiser for Fire Relief

It’s been a vicious year for fires in the northwestern United States. It seems like everything east of the Cascades is on fire up here, and we just lost three firefighters and had another few wounded when the blaze they were battling took an unexpected turn. We’re getting our asses kicked, and no mistake.

Many of us may feel helpless in the face of these infernos, but there are things we can do even if we’re not able to personally fight the fires.

If you’re in the Seattle area, Red Onion Burgers is having a fundraiser on Thursday:

Eat at Red Onion Burgers on Thursday, August 27th between 11am and 8pm and help raise money to aid those impacted by the Chelan Reach Complex / Wolverine / Black Canyon Fires.

Red Onion Burgers will be donating 100% of the cash tips, 50% of the credit card tips and 50% of the total sales. In addition, local firefighters will be present at the Albertson’s to help raise funds and collect food donations.

Money raised will go to the Community Foundation of North Central Washington whose relief fund benefits local families impacted by the fires in and around the Chelan Valley.

And there are other ways to help fire victims listed here.

I know most of the west is on fire, and likely some other countries, too, so if there are local fundraisers going on for your state/province/etc., please do let me know and I’ll add them.

Image shot at night shows a fire truck stopped with its lights on near a burning field. The red brake lights and the glowing orange flames in the darkness, illuminating roiling smoke, is eerie.
Fire crews work through the night at the Blue Creek Fire. The Blue Creek Fire located east of Walla Walla, WA began on Jul. 20, 2015 and has consumed an estimated 6,004 acres. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Image and caption courtesy USFS.
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Seattle-Area Fundraiser for Fire Relief
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5 thoughts on “Seattle-Area Fundraiser for Fire Relief

  1. 1

    Red Onion Burgers will be donating 100% of the cash tips, 50% of the credit card tips and 50% of the total sales.

    I sure hope that statement is incomplete. As written, they’re being so generous as to steal most of the pay of their lowest-paid employees (which the IRS will still assume they made) in order to make a PR statement.

  2. 2

    Johnny,
    I know these folks personally. The owner waits tables herself, and I’m positive that the waitstaff for the event will be volunteering their time and down with the donation.
    This is an extremely community minded small business. I’m also pretty sure the community responds by supporting them–and the waitstaff–with business and tips when it’s not a fundraiser.

    IMO, it’s not PR when the dollars go exactly where they say they’re going–and they do.

    But everybody’s free to not show up for whatever reason.

  3. 3

    Talked to my sister in south central WA yesterday morning; she said they have three fires in the immediate vicinity of her town. She had to cancel her birthday celebration because her plans involved going to the river, and the smoke settles on water like toxic fog. It’s bad.

  4. 4

    Diva,
    Good to know, thanks. That’s certainly what I hoped. I’m just sensitive to the phrase “tips will be donated”, on account of all the horror stories I hear from servers.

    As a friend of mine often says, “I wasn’t born this cynical.”

  5. 5

    Hey, Dana
    Thanks for highlighting this event. I stopped by a little after 8pm to put a contribution in “The Boot”, and the place was still jumpin’. Looked like the community jumped on the opportunity to come together for a good cause–raffle with nice prizes, sound system out front with entertainment, hula-hoops for the kids…
    They were still crazy busy…looked like lots of staff and volunteers working hard.
    Nice to see a fun, neighborhood get-together out in what’s really “the ‘burbs.” I needed a good news moment this week!

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