Couple turns lemons to lemonade with fire-themed T-shirts Need a memento of the Columbia Complex Fire? Cheri and Dan Wilson can fill the bill.
By Andy Porter of the Union-Bulletin
WAITSBURG - As the saying goes, ``Where there's smoke, there's work.''
Cheri and Dan Wilson, left, at their stand outside the fire camp in Waitsburg on Monday. The entrepreneurial couple have been selling Columbia Complex Fire T-shirts and sweatshirts since Friday to those wanting a memento of the blaze. U-B photo by Andy Porter.
And while Dan and Cheri Wilson may never have heard of the comedy troupe that coined that phrase, they would probably agree it's not a bad motto for folks selling mementos of a major blaze.
At their roadside stand outside the growing fire camp here, the entrepreneurial couple are doing their best to fill the demand for those needing an ``I was there'' T-shirt or sweatshirt.
``We set up shop Friday,'' Dan Wilson said as Cheri folded a fresh batch of shirts emblazoned with ``COLUMBIA COMPLEX 2006'' logos on the back.
A former wildland firefighter, Dan said the couple travel to fires during the summer and set up their silk-screening equipment, contained in a travel trailer, to turn out commemorative shirts.
As of Monday, the Wilsons appeared to have the market to themselves. Unlike last year's School Fire, no other competitors had yet appeared on the road leading into the camp.
Creation of the logo for the Columbia Complex started with an artist drawing the design in pen and ink. The image was scanned into a computer to create the screens used to print the multicolored image on each shirt.
How long does it take to create a logo for a wildfire?
``It's kind of like writing a news article,'' Wilson told a reporter. ``Some come right together and some take time.''
Comments:
This is your opportunity to speak out about the story you just read. We encourage all readers to participate in this forum.
Please follow our guidelines and do not post:
Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo, such as accusing somebody of a crime, defaming someone's character, or making statements that can harm somebody's reputation.
Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
Personal attacks, insults, threats, harassment, or posting comments that incite violence.
Comments using another person's real name to disguise your identity.
Commercial product promotions.
Comments unrelated to the story.
Links to other Web sites.
While we do not edit comments, we do reserve the right to remove comments that violate our code of conduct.
If you feel someone has violated our posting guidelines please contact us immediately so we can remove the post. We appreciate your help in regulating our online community.
Your comment will be posted after it has been verified.
