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In 2014, Josh Crawford’s 8-year-old daughter began to sell lemonade at his family’s business, Cashiers (N.C.) Farmers Market. Over the next four years, she raised roughly $450,000 in all.
And best of all? She donated every single penny of her earnings to Summit Charter School, her K-12 public school.
“Some days, she was making $1,000,” Crawford says. “Other days, she made $10,000. It was very impressive.”
Inspired by his daughter’s hard work and commitment to helping fund others’ education, Crawford decided to support Summit Charter School himself. So, in 2021, as the owner of Cashiers Firewood, he participated in his first Cashiers Festival of Trees.
As the signature fundraising event for Summit Charter School, the Cashiers Festival of Trees raises thousands of dollars annually. A firewood expert for decades, Crawford knew exactly how he could help: by creating a firewood display that would be auctioned off each year.
At first, he created a log cabin. And then a train. From there, he created a Peterbilt produce truck, followed by Can-Am Defender side-by-sides. All out of wood, and wood alone.
“Cashiers Firewood’s annual firewood display has grown into one of the festival’s most highly anticipated and meaningful traditions,” says Melissa Hudson, director of Festival of Trees. “It showcases not only the magic of the holidays, but also the creative generosity that helps fuel our beloved school and community.”
To continue to spread holiday magic, Crawford created his most extravagant firewood display yet last November, and it’s one with a direct connection to the landscape industry. Using nothing but wood, he fashioned a life-sized Takeuchi TB260 excavator and a life-sized Takeuchi TL10 skid-steer. To enhance his display even further, he had real versions of each machine delivered and displayed next to his firewood replicas, too.
He also covered his entire display with Christmas lights, donated by Greenville, S.C.’s Brite Lite Decor. Takeuchi, along with Bennett Equipment and Supply out of Piedmont, S.C., delivered the real versions of the excavator and skid-steer and sponsored Crawford’s display, as each company also donated $2,500.
“You can see the same craftsmanship, creativity and pride that define firewood reflected in every build,” Hudson says. “The intricate details and precise scale took last year’s display to the next level, though.”
Thus far, Crawford’s firewood displays have raised more than $35,000 for Summit Charter School. Aside from providing the school with this considerable sum of money, the displays have become “a marquee showpiece” of the Cashiers Festival of Trees as well, according to Hudson.
“No one loves a surprise more than Josh, so the design is always a secret too,” Hudson says. “The buzz that starts to build when construction begins is infectious and exciting.”
This excitement only increases during the two-day event itself, as Crawford’s firewood display is the first one that attendees see when they arrive, which has been a constant since 2021.
“Whether they’ve been coming for five years or it’s their first year of attending, when they pull up on the festival’s property, my display is right there,” Crawford says. “It’s my job to captivate their attention.”
As Crawford prepares for next year’s festival, which is set to occur on Nov. 27-28, Hudson can’t wait to see what the future holds.
“My goal is that the festival continues to grow,” Hudson says. “And that, even with growth, we never lose sight of the event’s heart — bringing people together to support our students, teachers and community.”
