Fire on the Mountain Promotion Mobilizes Booksellers

The national in-store fundraising campaign to benefit local firefighters is gaining momentum in bookstores, as the October 28 air date of the History Channel documentary based on the book, Fire on the Mountain: The True Story of the South Canyon Fire by John N. Maclean (Washington Square Press), grows near.

The special campaign has encouraged booksellers to mount theme displays and to work with community members in organizing and hosting special events. An increasing number of stores have signed on to the promotion, which began on September 9 and ends October 25 and is sponsored by Book Sense, the History Channel, and Washington Square Press.

Fact & Fiction in Missoula, Montana, will present an advance screening of the History Channel documentary on October 11 at The Wilma in downtown Missoula, with a reception following. Store owner Barbara Theroux told BTW that author John Maclean will be on hand to answer questions at the Florence Hotel after the screening. The event will benefit the Storm King 14 Scholarship Fund, which is named for the 14 firefighters from Montana, Colorado, Idaho, and Oregon who died fighting the 1994 fire. The events are sponsored in part by the Smokejumpers Center in Missoula, a local branch of the legendary Western firefighters. "We are honored to be part of this fund-raising event. The nationwide exposure for Book Sense and the History Channel is great," said Theroux.

In Spring Green, Wisconsin, Forget Me Not Books has created a unique life-sized firefighter (see photo below), complete with hose, to highlight the book and the upcoming documentary. The store, which opened at the end of March, is using a firefighter's boot for collections, and Forget Me Not's Pat Olbert told BTW via e-mail that "last week, during our local high school's homecoming, we entered the mannequin display in the homecoming parade with a sign that read, 'Support Your Fire Department -- Forget Me Not Books will donate 10 percent of Homecoming Weekend sales to our local fire department.' And, as the float went down the parade route, candy, Fire on the Mountain bookmarks, and coupons advertising the bookstore's 10 percent contribution to the fire department were distributed. It was great fun."

In Durango, Colorado, Maria's Bookshop -- together with the Durango Public Library and the Durango Herald, the town's daily paper -- has scheduled a talk on October 3 by author Maclean. The event will be held at Fort Lewis College in Durango, and the store is also scheduling a screening of the History Channel documentary during the fundraising period. (To read the related story, click here.) Maria's Bookshop's prominent window display has helped increase community awareness and spur donations.

Booksellers who participate in the Fire on the Mountain promotion, in addition to the funds raised for local firefighters, have the opportunity to receive a single $2,500 community award for their local firefighters, courtesy of The History Channel, with participation from Washington Square Press. To be considered for the community award, booksellers must update ABA regarding their displays by going to http://www.bookweb.org/read/5745 and filling in a short registration form by October 14.

A life-size firefighter greets customers at Spring Green, Wisconsin's Forget Me Not Books. The mannequin is part of the store's Fire On the Mountain promotion.	Efforts both in-store and within the community have spurred participation at Forget Me Not Books, where donations are collected in a firefighter's boot.	The window display at Maria's Bookshop in Durango, Colorado, prominently highlights the Fire on the Mountain promotion.