Only a couple years ago the world watched in horror as Gatlinburg went up in flames because of wildfires. Now the scene has been changed to the large-scale bushfires of Australia that have been burning for months. The state of this disaster caught the attention of local business owner Kim Blaine.
“I think it’s for obvious reasons to help out something that’s been devastating,” Blaine said. “We all just feel so sad. And what can we do? We see this footage on the news and just how bad things got over there, and I know it’s starting to get better, but the financial ticket for recovery for that has got to be huge.”
On Feb. 7 from 5-9 p.m., businesses of downtown Johnson City will team up to have proceeds going toward the financial relief of the fires in a fundraiser called “Save the Woop Woop.” The phrase “woop woop” is Australian for any location outside your area. Blaine’s business, Downtown Yoga Center, will have live music, a silent auction and free injury assessments with PT solutions.
Other businesses involved include Wild Wing Cafe, The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room, Barley Waters, CrossFit Hatch, Artisan’s Village, Quantum Leap and Battle Axe. Barley Waters will have Foster’s Beer on draft with 100% of those proceeds going to relief efforts. Crossfit Hatch is offering a CrossFit class from 5:30-6:30 p.m. where donations will be accepted. Blaine invites the community to spend time downtown for a great cause.
“It’s best to kind of come downtown and spend money at these places that are going to be contributing,” Blaine said. “I think the people who own businesses and do things downtown, it brings us together when we’re working for a cause. I think that encourages a sense of cohesiveness and community among the business owners as well as the patrons.”
Another opportunity from the event is Boomtown and Co. will be selling exclusive T-shirts where 100% of the profit will go toward recovery in Australia. According to Boomtown and Co. owner Shane Evans, the shirt will be available for presale for one to two weeks before the order is placed. The gold and green shirts depict a koala with the word “hugs” written across the silhouette, reminiscent of the design they did for the Gatlinburg wildfires.
The night will conclude with a “Best Aussie Accent” contest at Wild Wing Cafe hosted by John Engel from News Channel 5 WCYB.
To learn more about the fundraiser, visit the Downtown Johnson City Facebook or event page.
