06/22/2026
The Chrome Bar will be joining in on this worthy cause. Please join us on July 11th so we can show Montana what we can do!!
I was camping with a dear friend this weekend and largely disconnected from the outside world. Without Facebook and the news and constant alerts, I was briefly reminded that civilization is wildly overrated and a temporary exile from notifications is remarkably therapeutic. But it’s also not everyday reality.
When I finally wandered back into the land of reception bars and notifications, my phone lit up with close to twenty text messages. One of the first ones was from my dear friend, Nicole Welter.
Nicole and her husband Kevin were the masterminds behind the Anaconda Tragedy - Lets Do it Again, this time for Carmel’s page and were instrumental in helping transform what can only be described as one of the wild ideas from my confetti cannon brain into an actual, functioning operation. While I tend to specialize in vision, enthusiasm, and biting off more than seems reasonable, Nicole and Kevin possess the gift of structure, ex*****on, and making things work in the real world. God bless them both.
Together, along with countless others, they helped me rally the troops to raise more than $134,000 for the victims’ families of The Owl Bar shooting. And this was done because an entire industry stood together and decided that someone else’s heartbreak mattered.
Her text message was a link to a news article informing me of yet another shooting tragedy in an Anaconda bar. I learned the owner of Carmel’s had been tragically shot and killed and the enormity of it settled heavily on my chest.
And then my heart sank.
Again. Less than one year later. Same small town. Our deepest condolences go out to his family, his friends, his staff, and the entire Anaconda community as they navigate another loss that words simply cannot reconcile.
Immediately after hearing the news of this latest tragedy, I found myself behind the wheel of my van, hands at 10 and 2, elbows locked, transported into my own story. Back behind my own bar. Looking at my own team. Thinking about my own customers and imagining what it would feel like if tragedy like this walked through the doors of High Tide and I lost my life. And the truth is I couldn’t imagine. But I could imagine what it would feel like to my loved ones if an entire industry came together in support of those left behind.
It is important to note that nearly a year ago, when The Owl Bar was enduring its own unimaginable tragedy, the team at Carmel’s showed up without hesitation. They became one of sixty Montana businesses that donated a portion of their sales to help carry a grieving community through an extraordinarily difficult chapter. To me, that speaks volumes about the owner because I believe character is often revealed not by how we respond to our own suffering, but by how we respond to someone else’s.
Like many of you, I fell in love with Anaconda during The Owl Bar fundraiser, and by that I mean I fell in love with its people. We witnessed resilience, generosity, and a level of collective altruism that restored our faith in humanity. And perhaps most importantly, we watched this industry step up and Montana be Montana….refusing to let someone suffer alone.
And right now, Anaconda needs us again, you guys.
So I’m asking a question I think I already know the answer to. Can we do this again, you guys? Can we pull it off? Can we join forces? Can we once again transcend tragedy with love and community? I am just stubborn and committed enough to believe we can. In fact, I know we can.
On Saturday, July 11th, High Tide will donate a portion of our sales to support those impacted by this tragedy. And once again, I am inviting bars across Montana to join us.
If The Owl Bar fundraiser taught me anything, it’s that extraordinary things happen when this industry comes together. And while we we don’t get to choose the adversity that visits our neighbors, we do get to choose our response.
Let’s remind Caramel’s and Anaconda that they do not have to carry this burden alone. And for the record, while money will be incredibly helpful as they navigate this transition and all the unexpected costs, this isn’t about the money. It’s about the solidarity, the community, and the coming together.
July 11th.
A portion of your sales.
A small act of generosity multiplied across an entire state.
Let’s do what Montana and this industry does best.
Let’s show up!
Let’s love loudly.
Let’s take care of our own. ❤️
**If you want to be part of this, comment here or reach out to either myself or Nicole. She’s running the Give A Hoot page!
