Community Relief

Aspen Acres Fire Relief Drive

This Donation Drive Has Ended — Thank You, Colorado

The collection window for our second Aspen Acres Fire relief delivery closed at noon on Sunday, July 19, 2026. Thanks to donors across the Denver metro — including the seniors of Heather Gardens, who assembled more than 1,500 care packages — the donations are on their way to families and first responders in southern Colorado.

Recovery from a fire this size takes years, and there are still ways to help below. You can also donate $5 for one of the 405 Flags of Remembrance at our 25th Anniversary 9/11 Tribute — flag-donation proceeds support Aspen Acres fire relief. For future drives and events, see Future Events or follow us on Facebook.

Thank you for your tremendous support. — Big Tony

Final Delivery — Tuesday, August 11: Six Trucks, Four Towns, More Than $200,000

Today we made our sixth and final drop-off — to the town of Beulah, one of the hardest-hit communities of the Aspen Fires. Residents were allowed back home today to survey the damage; from under the Beulah sign, you could see the burn scar beyond.

“The pictures reveal the best of America — Americans helping Americans. That’s what this is all about.” — Big Tony

Across the whole campaign, a total of more than $200,000 in donations rolled south on six trucks to the towns of Beulah, Penrose, Colorado City, and Rye.

Thank you to every single person who donated at Colorado Homes and Design, Fusion Sign and Design, Earth Saving Solutions, and Top Edge Automotive — this update is for you, to show that your donations got where they needed to go. And thanks to Coleman Trucking, Penske, and Big Eazy Party Bus: with their trucks and their support, we made it happen.

Beulah residents and volunteers gathered outside the community building holding a large Thank You Colorado sign

The Beulah highway sign with the fire-scarred mountainside visible in the distance behind it

Residents lined up outside the Beulah community donation center beside a Thank You Colorado sign

Racks and tables of donated clothing filling the community hall for families returning home

Tables of donated canned food and boxes marked Disaster Relief in the community hall

Volunteers unloading and stacking cases of donated drinking water outside the community building

Delivered — Monday, July 20: Donations Reach Colorado City

The collected donations were dropped off at Valley Community Church in Colorado City for the firefighters and the families affected by the Aspen Acres Fire. Water was the priority: the local water is not drinkable because of the chemicals used to fight the fire, and ash is everywhere. Residents of nearby Rye are dealing with the same problem.

“Thanks to all who donated and volunteered.” — Big Tony

Pallets of donated bottled water stacked along the wall of the Valley Community Church hall

Rows of donated bottled water filling the church hall beside an American flag

Donated clothing sorted and folded on tables for families displaced by the fire

Boxes of donated supplies stacked on pallets in the church gymnasium

A volunteer sorting boxes of donated food and household supplies

The Valley Community Church sign in Colorado City, the donation drop-off point

Smoke from the Aspen Acres Fire rising over the mountains above the valley

The Aspen Acres Fire smoke plume seen across the valley from Colorado City

Community Champions: A Full Trailer of Hope

Jim Coleman, owner of Coleman Trucking, has donated 8 pallets of water and is sending a 53-foot semi to carry the community’s donations to families and first responders recovering from the Aspen Acres Fire. The trailer is on track to be completely full — more than $100,000 in donations. Pickup is at the VFW in Penrose on Monday, July 20; volunteers are needed at 7 a.m. to help load.

There’s still time to drop off donations before Monday — let’s fill that trailer.

Donating goods to the drive? Contributions to the drop-off drive are received through Penrose VFW Post 2788, a tax-exempt veterans organization (501(c)(19)) — EIN 23-7123105. Keep your own records of what you give and consult your tax advisor about deductibility.

One business owner, one truck, and a trailer full of hope for neighbors who lost everything — this is what the drive is all about. Thank you, Jim.

Prefer to Give Money?

If you’d rather give money than goods, you can send a contribution through Venmo using the relief account provided and authorized for this campaign. Recipient: Katrina Hopkins (@mamakhop). Contributions are used to provide gas and gift cards for families affected by the Aspen Acres Fire. Scan the code or tap the button below — both open Venmo.

Donate via Venmo (@mamakhop)

Venmo QR code that opens the profile of recipient Katrina Hopkins (@mamakhop) to contribute to the Aspen Acres Fire relief effort

Can’t scan? Copy this link into your browser: https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3730960629630934311&created=1783547566

You can also give to established wildfire-relief funds: United Way of Southern Colorado or The Salvation Army.

Celememorate presents this Venmo option as it was supplied and authorized for this campaign. Contributions go directly to the named recipient — they are not processed by Celememorate and are not tax-deductible. Celememorate is a volunteer initiative, not a registered charity or 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Photos from the Drive

Heather Gardens senior volunteers assembling sandwiches at a long table for the Aspen Acres Fire relief drive

Volunteers in gloves making sandwiches from donated bread and lunch meat

Senior volunteers packing food boxes in the Heather Gardens kitchen

Cardboard boxes packed with donated bread, canned goods, and staples

Care package boxes filled with donated groceries in a shopping cart

Costco Wholesale storefront, which donated meat for the relief drive

In the News

CBS News Colorado · July 10, 2026. Denver-area businesses, veterans’ groups, and seniors rallied by Big Tony assembled more than 1,500 care packages and loaded a bus with supplies for residents and first responders displaced by the Aspen Acres Fire.

Read on CBS News Colorado