This past week, Grounded Boots Relief accomplished something that has quietly been in the works for some time. Danny and Jewell Little, owners of Freedom Campers, generously donated a custom double-decker trailer unit to the organization. The only condition was simple enough on paper: we had to go get it from Missouri.

 

We are incredibly humbled by the level of belief and trust people continue to place in this mission. Donations of any size matter, but gifts like this represent something deeper. They are a statement of confidence in what Grounded Boots Relief is building and where it is headed.

The trailer has already turned heads, and more importantly, it will directly improve field operations. During extended responses, comfort and logistics matter. Having additional space and functionality in the field helps volunteers remain effective, organized, and sustainable during deployments. We are excited to begin integrating this asset into future operations and responses.

During a recent board meeting, our Board Chair made an observation that immediately stuck with us: Grounded Boots Relief, at its core, is a series of events.

 

Long-term recovery projects are events. Crisis response deployments are events. Trainings, fundraisers, outreach efforts, volunteer work days. All events. Unlike many organizations operating on a traditional 9-to-5 rhythm, our work is fluid, fast-moving, and heavily dependent on planning, coordination, and execution.

 

That realization has sparked a renewed push for event planners and organizers within the organization. For example, we are already actively preparing for a major fundraiser on September 26, and successful events do not simply happen on their own. They require people coordinating vendors, building wish lists, organizing logistics, setting up spaces, managing timelines, and helping transform ideas into reality.

 

If event planning is in your wheelhouse, or even something you would like to learn more about, we would genuinely love to have your help. Whether your strengths are organization, creativity, logistics, communication, or simply being willing to jump in where needed, there is a place for you here.

 

You can reach out at info@groundedbootsrelief.org or volunteer at groundedbootsrelief.org/volunteer. The more perspectives and skill sets we bring to the table, the stronger the organization becomes.

On May 9, a handful of Grounded Boots Relief volunteers spent part of their day doing something simple, but important: cleaning up Pisgah Drive through our Adopt-a-Highway efforts.

 

Trash bags, gloves, reflective vests, and plenty of walking later, the roadway looked noticeably better than when we arrived. It may not be chainsaws, disaster response, or emergency operations, but stewardship of the community matters too. Small acts of consistency add up over time.

 

To the volunteers who came out and helped: thank you for continuing to represent Grounded Boots Relief well, both during disasters and during the quieter moments in between.

  Volunteers who receive formal training are 73% more likely to stay involved with an organization long term. Investing in people does not just build skills. It builds retention.  
Source: nonprofitlearninglab.org

(All events pending Blue Skies)
CPR / Stop the Bleed: June 7

Off-Road: June 20? (TBD)

GBR Gala: September 26th

What have we accomplished so far? Quite a lot. What still needs to be done? An overwhelming amount. In the grand scheme of things, though, I genuinely believe Grounded Boots Relief is only at the beginning of what it can become.

 

I have joked before that if there were ever a good time to buy stock in John Badger, now would be the time. It may seem like a small investment today, but the long-term trajectory is what matters. Truthfully, though, that idea applies far more to Grounded Boots Relief than to me personally. The organization is where the real potential sits. We are still building the foundation, still figuring out what tools, systems, and people best position us for the future. But the momentum is there, and you can feel it.

 

Recently, we sponsored a volunteer to attend continuing education tied directly to one of our operational needs. During a conversation, they mentioned that throughout their professional career, they had never once been sponsored to attend continuing education by an organization. That stuck with me. It reinforced something I do not think we talk about enough. Grounded Boots Relief is not solely about helping survivors after disasters. It is also about investing in the people doing the work.

 

When we help volunteers gain certifications, training, or new skills, everyone benefits. The organization becomes more capable, and the individual becomes more equipped, more confident, and more valuable in their own life and career. That mutual growth matters to me. It is deeply rewarding to help people evolve into stronger versions of themselves while simultaneously strengthening the mission.

 

That is the kind of organization I want us to continue becoming. Not just operationally effective, but genuinely developmental for the people willing to invest their time, energy, and belief into it.