During the Lodgepole Fire of 2017 neighbors rallied alongside Federal & State agencies to contain the fire which eventually grew to become the largest fire, ever, located solely within Montana – 433 square miles! Fences, livestock, hay, grassland, and a few structures and equipment were destroyed.
Convoys delivering hay and feed, fencing materials, vet supplies, water and ice, fuel and food into Garfield County met convoys of livestock leaving the county destined for green grass or feedlots after flames consumed haystacks and blackened local ranch pastures. Devoted teams of neighbors volunteered super-human hours to receive, track and coordinate deliveries. Disbursements of donated supplies were systematically issued to those who suffered losses. One volunteer was assigned to matching volunteer trucking with donated hay that needed wheels to be delivered.
An avalanche of mail bearing cash, checks, and money transfers from across the USA and Canada swelled GCFF’s meager bank account to more than $1,000,000! The Garfield County Bank CEO served as fiscal oversight of the fire relief funds – all volunteer. As promised, 100% of the funds and goods received were disbursed to those who suffered fire damage. GCFF did not withhold administrative costs.
In excess of 1500 tax-deductible receipts were mailed to donors! Several of those were to community groups scattered across Montana who sent shipments of varied goods. Donations also came from across the USA and Canada. The touching notes that arrived with checks large and small are permanently filed in the GCFF archives.
This tragedy became a stellar example of goodness and kindness that surfaces when individuals focused on helping their fellow man can accomplish.