Arnold, CA…Ebbetts Pass Forest Watch helps with the Butte Fire Recovery donating $1600.00 from their 2016 Love the Forest Concert to Friends Of Rail Road Flat School Butte Fire Recovery Efforts. FORRFS is a Non-Profit Group under the Auspices of Blue Mountain Community Renewal Council. FORRFS provide enrichment classes to students of RRF School in various subjects including computer coding, 3-D printing, Lego robotics, gardening, guitar, poetry, art and much more. Additionally they provide a monthly free farm to fork community meal with produce from the school garden, bi-monthly wellness workshops, a co-op preschool and many more supplemental offerings. FORRFS operates independently from the public school system. All enrichment programs and activities are funded from fundraising efforts, private donations and grants.

Ebbetts Pass Forest Watch was formed in 2000 in response to the widespread clear cutting suddenly going on in the north eastern part of Calaveras County and much of the Sierra. The mission of EPFW is to protect, promote and restore healthy forests and watersheds to maintain quality of life in the Sierra Nevada. The non-profit supports logging that maintains forest integrity, but opposes the devastating practice of clear cutting. They are active both locally and at the state level, working to preserve the beautiful environment we are so lucky to live in.  Their commitment to the environment and community led them to dedicate the proceeds from the Love the Forest Concert this year to the fire recovery efforts of the Friends of the Rail Road Flat School.
    
EPFW’s primary fundraising event for the past 12 years has been the Love the Forest Concert, created and produced by EPFW members Ron Schaner and Tami Rakstad. An annual sellout event, the concert features local musicians and groups and has people singing, clapping and dancing in the aisles. On several occasions, EPFW has committed that year’s proceeds to respond to local needs. This year’s choice is a group working in the community to assist people affected by the Butte Fire.

Following the devastating Butte Fire in September 2015, FORRFS jumped into action to help the community in the recovery process, thanks to many private donations by individuals, community groups, churches, The Calaveras Community Foundation, The Sierra Health Foundation and more including several organizations in Amador County. Members of the group opened a donation center at the RRF Community Hall, providing much needed basic necessities to those left homeless. Immediately, gift cards and cash were given to families with school children who lost their homes. The donation center transitioned to a donation truck (donated by Volcano Telephone) packed with supplies that traveled through the burn zone weekly distributing tools and supplies vital to the recovery effort. Currently a cargo container is maintained and stocked with supplies, FORRFS pays rental on portable toilets for folks still living in tents or other temporary structures and has provided folks with fencing materials to protect their livestock and vegetable gardens. FORRFS focus is to help those in need to rebuild their lives, restore the forest and continue living in the District Two corner of Calaveras County. Thanks to donations such as this one from EPFW, FORRFS is able to continue their recovery efforts.

To learn more or donate to Ebbetts Pass Forest Watch go to www.forestwatchers.org.
Phone: 209-795-8260. Mailing address: Box 2862, Arnold, CA 95223
To learn more or donate to Friends of Rail Road Flat School go to www.friendsofrrfschool.org
Phone: 209-304-8932. Mailing address: PO Box 223 Rail Road Flat, CA 95248