In case you were out of town over Thanksgiving or otherwise distracted from the local news, Cave Creek icon and landmark The Buffalo Chip Saloon suffered a dramatic fire on Thanksgiving morning.
The once-home to Green Bay Packers fans, bull riders, and western music tragically burned to the ground. Thankfully, no one was inside at the time or injured. But there’s a lot for owners, employees, and patrons to mourn.
As an integral part of the small town, western vibe that Cave Creek is known for, the Chip’s demise has inspired the community to rally in its support. Just down the main Cave Creek drag from The Chip is Frontier Town, an homage of sorts to the Old West mining towns and ranchers who settled in Arizona in the 1800s. Marc Peagler, owner of Frontier Town, is planning a BBQ fundraiser to help the 100+ employees of The Chip get through the holidays without employment.
The BBQ will be held on December 16th at Frontier Town from 5:00-11:30 pm. Admission and parking are free and festivities will include:
- Hamburgers and hot dogs grilled and sold by The Silver Spur Saloon – $15 each with $10 going straight to the employee fund
- Entertainment by W. Alan Hall and The Cave Creek Legends Band
- Cave Creek author Tom Van Dyke on hand to sign copies of his book A Cowboy Christmas – An American Tale
- Silent auction
- $10 for 10-minute massages
- A toy drive coordinated by Church at the Chip and the Cave Creek Pro Rodeo
- Non-perishable food, pantry, and personal item drive for the Foothills Food Bank
All proceeds from the fundraiser will be donated to a Parkway Bank account set up to help employees of The Chip, who have children ranging from newborns to 20-years-old. In addition to the fundraiser, several GoFundMe accounts have also been established to help The Chip rebuild and to help Tom Wagner and the Country Line Band replace musical equipment lost in the fire.
To donate directly to The Buffalo Chip Employees Fund, visit Parkway Bank at the northwest corner of Cave Creek and Schoolhouse roads, or call (480) 488-4440. Thanks to Marc Peagler, the Cave Creek community, and surrounding Arizona golf communities for their strong support and reminding us what the holiday season is all about!
Don Matheson
Realtor | Founder
The Matheson Team – RE/MAX Fine Properties
21000 N. Pima Rd., #100, Scottsdale, AZ 85255
480-405-4228
[email protected]
[gravityform id=”1″ title=”false” description=”false”]