EAGLE COUNTY, Colo — It took a while to finalize the details of "Gather ‘Round Week," but momentum is building quickly.
Soon after the Feb. 1 avalanche near Silverton that took the lives of Eagle residents Seth Bossung, Adam Palmer and Andy Jessen, Cameron Douglas, owner of Vail’s Montauk and El Segundo restaurants, started thinking of ways to help the families of the men. Douglas that week sent an email to seemingly every restaurant owner and general manager in the valley, asking for participation in a weeklong event to donate at least part of the proceeds from the sale of every Bonfire beer to aid those families.
There were a number of hurdles to clear, including one big one: Bonfire was in the process of opening a new brew house when brewery owner Jessen died. His loss complicated that project.
In response to the awful news about the longtime valley residents, people started buying Bonfire beer, and lots of it.
Now, with production ramped up, and Bonfire taking the lead on the "Gather ‘Round Week" effort, that event is set for March 1-7. Almost immediately after the release of a Monday press statement announcing the effort, the email chain lit up.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Sweet Basil and Mountain Standard in Vail are in. So are the Blue Moose Pizza locations in Vail and Beaver Creek. Beaver Creek’s Dusty Boot and Met restaurants are participating, as are the Minturn Saloon and the Grand Hyatt Vail.
Douglas said it’s up to participating restaurants and bars how to participate.
>>Watch video above: Victims of deadly avalanche remembered.
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