PUEBLO, Colo. (KOAA) — A southern Colorado nonprofit that usually rewards students for acts of kindness is taking a different approach this summer, redirecting thousands of dollars to help families affected by the Aspen Acres Fire.
One Slice at a Time Be Kind Ministries, founded by Pueblo-area Little Caesars franchisee Dave Feamster, donated $3,000 from its annual golf tournament to support wildfire relief efforts.
Feamster, who owns six Little Caesars locations in Pueblo, La Junta and Lamar, said the ministry was created three years ago with one simple goal: encourage kindness among students.
"There’s so much divisiveness in politics," Feamster said, recalling how retired teacher Tim Brotherton pitched the idea. "He said, 'Let's just start something simple. No staff, no overhead.'"
The nonprofit partners with Little Caesars and Pueblo's Dew Drop Inn Pizza to reward classrooms where students are recognized for helping others. Teachers, counselors and staff hand out kindness cards throughout the semester, with the winning class earning a pizza party.
"It's kind of fun that there was a competition to do good," Feamster added. "The teachers are noticing it, the counselors are noticing it, the secretaries are noticing it. So it's really kind of fun how it's a good cause, we're having fun, but it's changing the atmosphere of the schools too."
This year, however, the group's mission shifted after the Aspen Acres Fire destroyed homes in southern Colorado.
"We thought, you know what, since we have these fire challenges up in the mountains, let's take the money that we usually make for those buddy benches and just turn it over to the fire," Feamster stated.
The donation will help wildfire victims, including firefighters whose own homes were lost. They provided $3,000 to the Scripps Howard Fund Southern Colorado Wildfire Relief Fund. Click here for more info on the cause.
"There are so many, too many people who have lost their homes," Feamster said. "There are so many firefighters included in that who have lost their homes."
Feamster said helping neighbors is simply the right thing to do.
"You cannot give God," he said. "Everything we have is from God. So if we can help our fellow neighbors, it may be us next year or next month."
The ministry's second annual golf tournament of the season quickly filled all available spots, a testament, Feamster said, to Brotherton's ability to bring people together.
"They want to play in it," he said. "We're maxed out as far as golfers."
The community support won't end there.
From July 29-31, Little Caesars' traveling Love Kitchen, a mobile restaurant equipped with pizza ovens and refrigeration, will serve free hot meals at Fellowship of the Rockies Church in Pueblo to evacuees, firefighters and others impacted by the wildfire.
“We know that it’s important to reach out to the communities where we do business and help make a difference,” said David Scrivano, Vice Chairman of Little Caesars. “As a family company, we are proud to work together with our local franchisees and company-owned stores to coordinate the vehicle, staff and food and to be there for the people in Denver who need assistance.”
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