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LAKEWOOD, Colorado (KMGH) — A Colorado woman, who has spent much of her life under the threat of wildfires, is channeling that experience into action — teaming up with a Lakewood tattoo shop to raise money and collect donations for fire departments across the state.
Alyssa Rose grew up on a ranch in Conifer and has been evacuated or put on notice at least 10 times due to wildfires. She said the repeated threat has left her feeling “hyperfixated” on what she can do to help those battling the fires.
“My parents are very elderly, and my mom was in a car accident when I was in seventh grade that left her paralyzed from the chest down,” Rose said. “Because of that, and definitely because of their age, mobility and like kind of being on top of things and being ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice is not easy for them.”
It was at True Blue Tattoo in Lakewood where Rose shared those thoughts with shop owner Russ Pearson. He asked her what he could do to help — and a fundraiser was born.
“I am a teacher here in Colorado, and I don’t really have a way to change the entire world or change even maybe outside of Colorado, but my hope is to get people to come in and support this event,” Rose said.
On August 15, the community is invited to come to True Blue Tattoo and choose a small pre-drawn tattoo for $40. The event runs from noon to 7 p.m., and Pearson said he hopes to get a couple hundred people through the door. The designs are Colorado-themed.
“I have some, almost, like everything pretty much ready to go, so you can just kind of come in and pick it out, and then there’ll be somebody up here kind of taking order in which people walk in,” Pearson explained. “So we’ll just like be in line, grab one, go to the available artist, and get it done, and it should run pretty smoothly. I’m hoping.”
For those who aren’t interested in getting a tattoo, Rose said donations of money, household goods, clothing and non-perishable food items are also welcome.
“I want to help people. I want to help Colorado, and I think that a lot of people also want to help, but don’t know how, don’t have a starting point. And here you go. This is your starting point. I am giving you a place to step up and donate,” Rose said.
To ensure the money reaches fire departments, organizers are partnering with Elk Creek Firehouse to contact and divide contributions among departments in need. Rose has committed to distributing all donations by the end of August.
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