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Boulder Book Store raising money to replace kids' books lost in Marshall Fire

The shop is hoping to raise more than $80,000 to donate $100 gift cards to students who lost their homes and belongings.

BOULDER, Colorado — A bookstore in Boulder is helping kids who lost their homes to the Marshall Fire and lost their beloved books in the devastation.

Boulder Book Store on Pearl Street has been fundraising to give every child a $100 gift card to replace their books. 

The shop has learned 807 students in kindergarten through 12th grade have been impacted.

The idea first evolved when students came in with book lists for items they hoped to replace. The staff immediately wanted to step in and help.

“For the whole staff, it was a really galvanizing experience to come together and feel like we could do something. We could make a difference. Hopefully we will make a difference,” General Manager Arsen Kashkashian said.

At first, they heard about 500 students were impacted. Over the weeks, the number continued to rise, until they learned of the exact number just a few days ago.

As they’ve learned of more children, they’ve continued to increase their goal. They hope to raise more than $80,000 to give every kid at least $100.

“it’s been a whole storewide effort,” Kashkashian said. “I think it would feel really great to actually accomplish a goal that seemed almost impossible when we started.”

So far, they have raised more than $72,000. 

Credit: Angeline McCall

Monday at the end of business is the final day to donate.

Every employee has played a part in the fundraiser. Cashiers have been asking customers at checkout, and the online sales team spearheaded the option to donate online.

“I think I teared up the first couple of times when somebody -- especially when somebody chose to be very generous, because it was just striking,” cashier Lila Quinn said.

Quinn said most everyone who purchases a book will give some sort of donation, even if it is just $1.

“I find it really touching. There’s a lot of sweetness and generosity in people, whether somebody is donating a dollar to $20 or more. It feels really powerful to watch people band together and care not just about books but getting books into the hands of people who lost them. It’s pretty touching,” Quinn said.

The final day of the fundraiser is Monday at 7 p.m. You can give in person at the store, over the phone, or online.

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