Birch Equipment Joins the Fight to End Human Trafficking

The 21st annual Birch Golf Classic, held on September 9, 2021, raised more than $200,000 for Washington state charities. The tournament was organized and hosted by Birch Equipment, a local business and Bellingham mainstay.

The event, which raised $211,819 was held at the Bellingham Golf & Country Club. Twenty-seven teams from around Washington state competed to raise funds, and first place went to Hotel Bellwether, which raised $10,555. This year, the Birch Golf Classic benefited Businesses Ending Slavery & Trafficking (BEST), Real Escape from the Sex Trade (REST), and Whatcom Dream.

The CEO and Executive Director of BEST, Dr. Mar Brettmann, says that support from organizations like Birch Equipment can make a world of difference in a nonprofit’s success. “Birch Equipment’s generous support will have a huge impact on the success of our mission. We can prevent exploitation and help human trafficking survivors during their healing journey, but we need the community backing us to do it.”

Birch Equipment’s goal in hosting this annual charity tournament is to earn revenue for and to shine a light on organizations along the I-5 corridor who are doing amazing work to help the most vulnerable transition off the streets and onto better pathways. Sarah Rothenbuhler, the owner and CEO of Birch Equipment, believes that the work that accomplished through the funds the Birch Golf Classic raises change lives. “Seeing the impact that our fundraising makes on local communities is a truly rewarding experience. We are so thankful to everyone who made this event possible, and we can’t wait to do it again next year.”

Birch Equipment is the leading independently-owned construction equipment and sales company in the Pacific Northwest and Southeast Alaska.  Birch Equipment provides pro-active fleet, management/maintenance, 24-hour response and mobe/demobe for commercial contractors, transportation, industrial, manufacturing and the public sector. Birch Equipment is headquartered in Bellingham, Washington. To learn more about Birch Equipment’s services, visit https://www.birchequipment.com/. To learn more about the Birch Golf Classic, visit https://www.birchgolfclassic.com/

Businesses Ending Slavery & Trafficking (BEST) is a Seattle-based nonprofit that educates employers to prevent human trafficking and creates pathways to employment for survivors. Founded in 2012, BEST has trained more than 50,000 employees in the hotel, airport, seaport, and rideshare industries to recognize and respond to potential cases of human trafficking at their workplaces. In 2019, BEST launched the Safe Jobs Collaborative to connect survivors of trafficking with stable employment opportunities in King County. To date, Collaborative partners have helped more than 400 people gain employment. To make a donation, visit www.bestalliance.org/donate.