As extreme heat and fires plague much of the West, wildland firefighters go from fire to fire with little end in sight.
In the Okanogan Valley of Washington state, firefighters from as far away as Utah and Arizona battle blazes that threaten property and lives. These frontline workers live and work under challenging conditions, and they have little access to fresh produce. So, when Bob Grandy from Gebbers Farms, a fruit packer for Chelan Fresh, unexpectedly showed up at the fire camps with boxes of fresh, Washington-grown cherries, even the smoke couldn’t dampen the mood.
Bob Grandy and his wife Kathryn delivered the cherries to fire crews at Bridge Creek fire crew camp and the main fire crew camp at Liberty Bell High School near Winthrop. They also stopped and gave cherries to the National Guard, a fire crew from Oregon, and Tribal members from Arizona distributing meals and supplies to firefighters.
“The response was tremendous. Everywhere we went, the crews were surprised and happy to have a fresh, healthy snack,” said Grandy. “It was a small gesture, but we wanted them to know that we appreciate all they are doing to protect Washington’s rural communities.”
“It is impossible to express the immense gratitude that we have for these men and women,” added Tom Riggan of Chelan Fresh. “But we hope they know we recognize their sacrifice.”
