From Diamond Knot:
When firefighters from the Mukilteo Fire Department approached Diamond Knot Craft Brewing about helping to raise funds for a potential benevolent fund, it was easy to say “absolutely!”
The plan, brewed up by the crew at Station 24, was to combine brewing and firefighting forces to start the Mukilteo Firefighters Benevolent Fund with seed money raised through a special bottle release and party. On July 25, the first bottles of Beach House Blonde Ale will be released to the public during the launch party from 4-9pm at Diamond Knot’s Production Brewery & Taproom in Mukilteo.
Diamond Knot will donate $1 for each bottle of Beach House Blonde sold.
Fireman Jordan Scott was the idea man, according to Local 3482 President Jeff Shields.
“Jordan brought the idea to the union,” he said. “The International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) and Mukilteo Firefighters Local 3482 have a long history of helping out others. Every year, the firefighters of Mukilteo hit the streets for the MDA as part of the Fill the Boot campaign, and we also host the well-known pancake breakfast and the super-popular Egg Hunt every year before Easter Sunday. When Jordan brought the idea of starting our own Benevolent Fund with the goal of helping others locally, everyone embraced the idea pretty quickly.”
Sherry Jennings, Diamond Knot’s Director of Sales and Marketing, agreed that the idea of combining forces with the Mukilteo Fire Department was quickly embraced by her team, as well.
“We have been donating to the Pancake Breakfast for years, and we recognize all that the fire department does for the community in addition to responding to fire and medical calls, pulling cats off roofs and simply keeping a watchful eye.
“Jordan’s enthusiasm for the partnership was contagious. Before I could even finish pitching the idea to our brewery team, all heads were nodding a resounding ‘yes.’”
Jennings added that bottling “Beach House Blonde” was quickly put on the calendar, and with it the idea for a release party followed. Station 24, on 5th Street, is known as the Beach House. Although it would have been fun to celebrate just down the hill at the Brewery & Alehouse, the decision was made to host the party at the larger DK headquarters.
The event will include the Snohomish County Firefighters Pipe & Drums, as well as The Industrials, who will kick off their set around 7. There will be an outdoor tented beer garden, a food truck and lots of boots to hold donations to seed the benevolent fund.
“Most people know we help out when someone calls 911,” Shields said. “We’re well-equipped and trained to handle emergencies. Unfortunately, we encounter a lot of situations that we don’t have the resources for – the unforeseen things that happen before, after, and between calls. Sometimes all a person really needs when they call for an ambulance is help getting a prescription filled, or a ride to the clinic. Often we encounter families that have no way of following a loved one to the hospital when they are transported by ambulance. Our hope is the Benevolent Fund will help us provide that prescription, or a taxi ride for the family. We don’t have any criteria or specific needs identified. If a member of our team sees someone who needs help we can provide, we’ll have a system ready to provide that help.
“In the past, our members have given their own time and money to help local families during the holidays; providing gifts and clothes in an effort to make someone’s holiday a little bit better. This has always been kind of a grassroots thing we’ve done. We don’t advertise it, and, again, there’s no criteria. We just find out someone’s needs and we try to provide help. We feel that having the Benevolent Fund might help spread that help even further.”
The excitement is building for the launch party.
“We’re very excited!” Shields said. “We think Jordan’s brought a great idea forward, and we’re really excited to be partnering with Diamond Knot. This is an exciting partnership, and we see it as two great organizations working collaboratively to provide help locally.”
“It’s a win-win for the community,” Jennings said. “We conduct our business always asking ourselves, ‘Are we doing the right thing?’ Helping to raise money for the benevolent fund is definitely doing the right thing.”
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