MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES — An online Creek Fire fundraiser has been started by local business owners directly affected by the fire, with many of them having been evacuated from their homes.
Local t-shirt brand, Get Deerty, has teamed up with local artist Kirsten Casey of Blue Lotus Hemp to create a Creek Fire relief fundraiser. An assortment of items, including t-shirts, hoodies, hats, tanks, decals and handcrafted necklaces, are being sold with 100% of the profits going to those who have lost their homes in the Creek Fire.
Assisting in the fundraiser is a mix of mountain folk from our beloved central Sierra mountain communities, from Shaver Lake to Mariposa. Owners of Get Deerty, Heather and Kim Lawson, were originally from Mariposa but now reside at Bass Lake with their print shop located in downtown North Fork. You may know them through Lawson Studios and previous fire relief efforts for Detwiler Fire ($6,416 raised) and the Ferguson Fire ($7,899.)
Owner of Blue Lotus Hemp, Kirsten Casey of North Fork, is selling her handcrafted custom necklaces to raise relief funds. Out of Auberry, carpenter Travis Leeper is assisting with roadside selling efforts. Both Kirsten and Travis have been evacuated from their homes since Sept. 6.
The Creek Fire design was thoughtfully crafted by Heather Lawson, each element with a particular meaning. Looming over the design is a dense nuclear-looking cloud (i.e., pyrocumulonimbus) which resulted from the fire growing so fast it created its own weather, including thunder and lightning. The water represents the San Joaquin River through which the fire burned as well as the lakes many ran to for safety when trapped by the fire. The Chinook represents the pilots of many aircraft that risked flying in thick smoke to rescue those trapped by the fire. The silhouette of the firefighter overlooking the vast fire represents all those working tirelessly day and night to protect our communities.
Get Deerty and Blue Lotus Hemp will be donating 100% of their net proceeds to several non-profit organizations such as the North Fork Boosters Creek Fire Relief Fund and the Shaver Lake Visitors Bureau Creek Fire Relief Fund.
To support the fundraiser, go to GetDeerty.com and select Creek Fire Relief Fundraiser in the menu.
In addition, several roadside stations will be set up where you can purchase fundraising gear in person. Look for them this Saturday, Sept. 19.
• MarVal parking lot in Prather, Junction of Hwy 168 and Auberry Road. (3 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.)
• Hwy 41 in Oakhurst, just before Suburban Propane, next to the “Honey Guy.” (9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)
• Four Corners Park & Ride at Hwy 145/Hwy 41 junction. (9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)
For more details on dates, times, and locations where you can find Creek Fire Fundraiser gear, please check GetDeerty.com in the About section. They will also be updating their Facebook page with current information at Facebook.com/GetDeerty.
If you would like to donate directly, here are several ways to do so.
- Donate to the North Fork Boosters Creek Fire Relief Fund at NorthForkBoosters.org.
- Donate to Shaver Lake Visitors Bureau Creek Fire Relief fund at GoShaver.org/take-action.
About Get Deerty and Blue Lotus Hemp
Get Deerty, owned by Heather and Kim Lawson of Lawson Studios, is an outdoor apparel company specializing in ethically-sourced shirts and hoodies, among other items. They custom handprint to order in their boutique screen-printing shop in North Fork, CA. They are very fortunate to be able to return to their shop after mandatory evacuations which lasted a week. Their apparel line is carried in the Oakhurst, Mammoth, and Bishop Vons as well as the Chukchansi Crossing Fuel Station.
Kirsten Casey is a local artist and owner of Blue Lotus Hemp, specializing in macramé hemp, wire-wrapped gemstones, and other custom handcrafted jewelry pieces. Her products are available through her Etsy store, BlueLotusHemp.
