Operation BBQ Relief deploying to CA (North Bay) fires

R2Egg2Q

Operation BBQ Relief is deploying to Santa Rosa and Napa areas to feed first responders and evacuees.  I just signed up as a volunteer and passed the ServSafe test and trying to figure out which days I can help (likely going to try for the Napa site as it’s closer for me).

They’ve posted on their Facebook site some needs for equipment and can always use donations and volunteers.

jabam

Thanks for your service, I m sure they need all the help they can get. 

northGAcock

Good for you....be careful out there.

lousubcap

Way to step up.  Your participation will be well received, for sure.
Donation sent.  

lousubcap

Bump for a Friday eve look.

TideEggHead

Thank you for what you're doing, they definitely need some help.

R2Egg2Q

lousubcap said:

Bump for a Friday eve look.

It's Friday?? If so I missed my first shift! 

I have a Noon to 7 PM shift tomorrow and a Sunday AM shift.

I hope to have some pics to share tomorrow night.

Thx Cap for the bump and for donating to OBR!

R2Egg2Q

Quick break.  Most of the cooking at the Napa site is being done on the cookers (ole hickorys and meadow creeks) belonging to Alpha Omega Winery out of Rutherford.



Air quality sucks


I believe the second site in Santa Rosa is bigger.  I think Guy Fieri has a crew cooking there.

Foghorn

Very cool. Thanks for pitching in. Enjoy the work. 

jabam

R2Egg2Q said:

Quick break.  Most of the cooking at the Napa site is being done on the cookers (ole hickorys and meadow creeks) belonging to Alpha Omega Winery out of Rutherford.



Air quality sucks


I believe the second site in Santa Rosa is bigger.  I think Guy Fieri has a crew cooking there.

Small world. My boss is part owner of Alpha Omega Winery. 

lousubcap

Keep up the great volunteer work.  Thanks for the update.  

caliking

News about fire damaged areas seems to get worse with each passing day. Good of you to lend a hand. The OBR folks run a pretty slick operation.

R2Egg2Q

A few more pics.  Some of the guys cooking some hot dogs and chicken breast:  



Some bag lunches, pulled pork sandwiches and hot dogs in the cooler, and drinks going out on trucks:



Some of the other proteins cooked/served: brisket sandwiches and cheeseburgers.

I made myself available to do anything they needed today so I spent time: offloading trucks/vans (carbonated beverages, 40 lb bags of lump, fruits, and boxes of individually packaged snacks), loading coolers with foil wrapped sandwiches and hot dogs, inventorying beverages, wrapping hot dogs in foil, and helping to organize bread.

They were fortunate to get the usage of a catering commissary so a lot of prep work was done inside in a kitchen.

Pretty amazed with the job done here with lots of volunteers made up of local residents, members of competition BBQ teams/caterers, and members of Operation BBQ Relief providing guidance & direction.  Some of key folks who got this started before OBR arrived are evacuees from Calistoga and haven't seen their home in days.  Sure hope their home makes it through unscathed.

Things ran smoothly enough that many of us were released early.  Here's sky and the sun trying to burn through the smoke when I was leaving:



I'm looking forward to returning for a Sunday morning shift.

Star_TrEGG

Great job and I'm sure everyone appreciates all of your help out there.

Hotch

Thanks for helping them out.
On another note, that Lazzari Lump is my favorite!

R2Egg2Q

With permission from a Brethren friend (Sir Porkalot) sharing some of his pics of the Santa Rosa OBR site.  

R2Egg2Q

I arrived a little before 7 AM this morning at the Napa site.  All was quiet out at the smokers and grills:

I went inside to check-in and helped out with some prep work in the kitchen.  Made the mistake of getting too close to the dishwasher and got stuck there for awhile.  

Outside the crew of volunteers was busy slicing pork loins:


And a bunch of sandwich prep was going on inside:

I saw my chance to escape the dishwasher and got outside and joined the crew at the grills:


National guard stopped by to pickup some meals



Things then got really busy with lots of chicken, followed by bacon wrapped hot dogs, regular hot dogs, brats, and pork loins:








My 7 hour shift turned into a 10 hour shift.  I'm beat but had a blast spending time with some competition BBQ guys/gals I hadn't seen in a couple of years.  

Star_TrEGG

Thanks for photo documenting this operation.  I'm sure it will be used as reference for any future "deployments."