Butte Community Collects Nearly 7.5 Tons of Supplies for Spokane Wildfire Victims
BUTTE, Mont. — What began as one Butte family's effort to help wildfire victims in Washington quickly grew into a community-wide relief drive, collecting nearly 7.5 tons of supplies for people affected by devastating fires in the Spokane area.
Crystal Mjelde and her family organized the "Butte Supports Spokane" donation effort in early August after seeing the destruction caused by wildfires in eastern Washington. The response from Butte residents and businesses quickly exceeded expectations.
Over the course of roughly two weeks, the effort collected nearly 15,000 pounds of donated goods, including clothing, bottled water, food, diapers, hygiene products, cleaning supplies and other necessities for families recovering from the fires.
Dozens of Butte businesses helped by providing locations where residents could drop off donations, allowing the effort to expand throughout the community.
Nearly 15,000 pounds of supplies were collected in about two weeks as Butte residents and businesses rallied behind the relief effort.
The wildfire devastation also has a personal connection for the Mjelde family. Crystal's husband, Chris, works for the Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department, giving the family a close understanding of the dangers firefighters face and the enormous impact a major fire can have on a community.
The amount donated eventually became greater than what organizers could transport to Spokane in the available trailer. Instead of allowing the remaining supplies to go unused, the family found ways to put those donations to work closer to home.
Animal-related supplies were designated to assist an animal shelter in Dillon, while additional clothing collected through the drive was expected to support the annual clothing program operated by Butte Cares.
The Spokane region has faced significant damage from wildfires, with residents losing homes and communities beginning what could be a lengthy recovery process. Relief organizations and government agencies have continued seeking essential supplies and financial assistance for those affected.
For Butte, the donation drive became another example of residents stepping forward to help people facing difficult circumstances — even when those people live hundreds of miles away.
What started with one family's desire to lend a hand ultimately became a much larger Butte effort, sending thousands of pounds of necessities west to families working to rebuild their lives after the fires.
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