ReadingLipps

Coffee Creek, CA is a small town in the mountains of Trinity County. The nearest city is Weaverville and the nearest actual city is Redding. This April I visited some good friends of mine, who run some cabins in Trinity. Trinity is beautiful with towering snow-capped mountains and flowing rivers that still yield gold for those willing to pan for it. We were invited to the local volunteer fire department chili feed and benefit auction. The Coffee Creek Volunteer Fire District operates entirely without state funding and depends on the generosity of the community and grants, when they can get them.  I’ve heard they are a responsive bunch. Every available volunteer arrives at every available incident, the benefits of an automated phone system.

Coffee Creek is really a series of homes and businesses along Highway 3. The firehouse was a corrugated steel building with room for two engines and attached offices. The building was packed with locals from around the area, including several candidates for sheriff. This was not just a chili feed but a social event not to be missed, especially by aspiring vote-getters. Folding tables and chairs lined the inside of the garage and almost every seat was taken. Various items sat on display at the end tables that capped the rows of diners. These were the auction items, and bidding was openly competitive.

The chili was good and rotating plates of brownies were tough to avoid. There were some folks in cowboy boots and hats, some younger folk, but basically it was a mature crowd. There were few deals to be had as the community rose to the challenge of supporting their protectors. It was a nice scene to take in and I was glad to be a part of it. Although I couldn’t afford the items I wanted, I did buy a tee-shirt in support of their effort.