After a year of successful sales and establishing a wonderful partnership with Grand County Wildfire Council, we were so excited to be the official sponsor of the community chipping program at East Grand Fire in Grand County, CO.
The day started early as we packed up our vehicles and headed to Winter Park Colorado to prepare for the start of the event at 10 AM. While we set up our tent and unloaded the Isoterics gear, cars were backing up around the fire station. These cars came pulling trailers of all sizes filled with the slash and mitigation work done on their properties. Some even arrived in minivans with their backs full of trimmings. We joked with these participants, and acknowledge that they wont need air fresheners because of the fresh piney scent in their car.
One active citizen of Grand County mentioned how he plans his whole summer around this day, and the sponsored chipping event. This is the best opportunity and resource for all homeowners living in this high fire risk area to dispose of their slash piles.
The Isoterics team set up along the staging line for the vehicles bringing their overgrowth, slash, beetle-kill and deadfall to the event. After stopping at the Wildfire Council booth and discussing details of their mitigation efforts, vehicles proceeded down the line and were greeted by the Isoterics crew.
Special for this chipping event, we had designed and produced limited edition T-shirts to commemorate the community chipping effort. These retro shirts sported a fun and friendly design with a chipping days beaver and the text, “you bring it, we chip it”.
To our excitement, these shirts were well received and the participants of the chipping days could not wait to get there hands on these stylish threads. Bringing our apparel, and opportunity to create more revenue for the Wildfire Council, had everyone excited. While this event is free to the community it depends on sponsorships and fundraising to continue year after year.
We’d like to extend a HUGE thank you to the whole team at East Grand Fire Station for their commitment to keeping this mountain community wildfire ready. Additionally, we’d like to thank Schelly Olson and the Grand County Wildfire Council for their amazing dedication to building world class awareness around the wildfire issues we face.
