Giving Back to the Boys & Girls Club of Round Valley

In 2022, True North Gear relocated The Pack Shack's manufacturing facility from Eagar, AZ, to Seattle, WA. Rather than selling the building that served as The Pack Shack's home for nearly two decades, an opportunity arose to give back to the community that hosted The Pack Shack for many years.  True North Gear CEO and founder Alyx Fier and his wife Sally generously donated it to the Boys & Girls Club of Round Valley in July 2023. This decision allows the club to establish a permanent foundation to continue supporting working families in Eagar and Springerville. The location of the former Pack Shack building is ideal for the club's programs as it is near parks they already attend regularly and provides ample space. Sally supported the decision wholeheartedly, having personal experience with the Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club in Seattle. Since 2011, the Boys & Girls Club of Round Valley has been searching for a permanent home to continue supporting working families. Until now, they could only lease establishments for a limited time. This donation will enable the organization to build a permanent foundation and will allow the Boys & Girls Club of Round Valley to allocate its resources to other important initiatives like field trips, club meetings, and community programs.

"It's almost like angels were watching over us and knew exactly what we needed since we need to be out of our current rental situation by the end of this year. We had no idea where we would go, and now we have a beautiful new to-use building, and we can make it our own." - Mannie Bowler, Board President.

The Boys & Girls Club of Round Valley is preparing the building for back-to-school. They plan to have a grand opening in the fall, which will include dedicating the building to The Pack Shack's founder, Karen Beddow, with a plaque.

About The Pack Shack

The Pack Shack was founded in 1985 by Karen Beddow in Washington State. Her husband, Tom, a wildland firefighter, needed better-quality gear to battle fires. As a seamstress, Karen created her first prototype and received positive feedback. She established her initial manufacturing facility in Eagar, AZ, and as the business expanded, she employed more sewers. Karen prioritized providing a custom experience for her customers, and The Pack Shack became a community resource for requests beyond wildland fire gear. They began to provide custom gear for police and search and rescue teams and repair gear for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. After over 30 years of building The Pack Shack, Karen retired in 2020 and sold the company to True North Gear, a family-owned and operated company that provides NFPA 1977-certified wildland packs, clothing, gear, and accessories.