Sisters caterer serves firefighters close to home

Caterers Alan Maldonado (left), Linda Butler, Dustin Makowski, Mandi Maldonado, Phil Butler and Anthony Embesi live and work throughout the West.

Gary and Ronda Sneva have been catering to firefighters across the West for years.

Last week, they did their work close to home -- at the Cache Mountain fire camp at Sisters High School.

The Snevas started Port-a-Pit Catering 13 years ago. The company, based out of Tucson, Arizona, travels with fire crews to serve them as they fight fires throughout the West.

The company was responsible for serving nearly 1,200 firefighters breakfast lunch and dinner at the local fire camp.

In one dinner, 800 pounds of prime rib was served. The next evening called for 800 pounds of chicken. Served cafeteria style, the meals include baby carrots, rice pilaf a full salad bar and dessert. Palettes of bottled water sit outside the tent where food is served. Tables and chairs are situated in and around the tent in an area separated from the camp.

Individuals are not allowed to take food from the area.

"We don't want a firefighter gnawing on a piece of chicken that they saved from the night before," said Sneva.

All of this is supported by five vehicles, three of which are semi-trucks; a hot kitchen, a cold kitchen which houses a refrigeration unit, and a storage unit which also houses a refrigeration unit. They arrived in Sisters Saturday evening, taking four hours to set up.

Gary Sneva noted that the unit present for the Cache Mountain fire was not the local one based out of Bend, but instead one that is based out of Salt Lake City. The unit based out of Bend was supporting firefighting efforts in northern Idaho at the Garden Valley Complex.

"We start mid-March in Arizona and work geographically north with the fire season," said Sneva.

Karissa Wellman found herself working for the catering service after being evacuated from her home at Black Butte Ranch.

"They're helping to save my house so I should be helping to feed them," said Wellman, who lives in the Golf Homes section which was threatened on Sunday, July 28. She and her sister Brianna, along with friend Brittany Reed, worked making sandwiches and packing lunches.

When not doing contract work for the government, Port-a-Pit supports operations such as the Super Bowls in Phoenix and San Diego, as well as the Fiesta Bowl each year and the University of Oregon tailgate party.