Her son, Richard Brown, 14, was following the news with her and decided there had to be something he could do.
When JoAnn Brown went to work Thursday, Richard Brown called Okanogan County Emergency Services to find out what the firefighters there really needed.
He then called his friend Miranda Reed, 14, who got a hold of her friend Hailey Sims, 14, and the teens asked for permission to collect donations of toiletries, baby supplies, Chapstick and other basic necessities outside the Trading Company in Spokane Valley.
Big sister Julia Jean Brown, 20, also got involved, sharing the group’s effort on social media, and on Friday they were allowed to collect donations outside Target in Spokane Valley.
“The customers there were amazing,” said JoAnn Brown. “And the employees gave a lot, too.”
Socks, shirts, underwear, baby formula, diapers – it all piled in.
The group spent Saturday assembling more than 350 care packages for firefighters, filled up Mom’s van and a second rented van, and set off toward Nespelem, Washington, at 3 a.m. Sunday.
“We broke the suspension in my car,” Brown said. “That’s how full it was.”
They arrived at the fire camp in Nespelem around breakfast time, and soon firefighters lined up to get the packages.
“Many had left with very little and they had limited access to laundry,” Brown said. “A change of underwear and socks meant so much.”
The group made stops in Omak, Bridgeport and Riverside to hand out donations.
“Lots of people had evacuated from Twisp and Winthrop there and they’d lost everything,” she said.
Among donations were several cases of Campfire Candy, about 50 stuffed animals, Gatorade and bagels donated by the Bagel Company.
Brown said they collected and distributed nearly $10,000 worth of food, toiletries, baby supplies, wipes, paper towels and other necessities.
“I’m just so proud of the kids,” she said. “They really rose to the occasion.”
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