Mannford Strong brings community together with food, music and support

In Mannford, tough times don’t define them. Their response to those times does.

After a devastating wildfire left Mannford reeling, the community is proving once again that nothing can break their spirit. This week, they came together not just to rebuild—but to celebrate their resilience with food, music, and fellowship.

"Mannford is Mannford strong," said Kindra Caruthers, one of the event organizers. "Mannford has been through so many things that we’re always just right there for one another."

Caruthers saw the destruction and knew her town needed something to hold onto. The solution? A block party.

"It’s emotional because all these people lost homes," she said through tears. "And if we can do something little like this and bring them together for a night, to be happy and to hang out and know that we’re here for them, that’s enough."

Caruthers and her friend Ryan Ashcroft decided last week that they’d host a fundraiser.

"The best thing I could do was say, ‘Hey, let’s throw a party,’" Ashcroft said.

The Mannford Strong Benefit Block Party became a night of laughter, live music, and good food, reminding the town that even in tough times, joy can still be found.

"Just the encouragement to let them know that this is just a storm, that we'll get through it again, and we're here for them," Caruthers said.

For Ashcroft, encouragement starts with what he knows best: barbecue.

"I got my butt out of bed and went straight downtown to Restaurant Depot and loaded up on pork butts and chips and water, and I came out just to feed people," he said.

And the town showed up—families singing along with the band, strangers sharing a meal, no longer strangers.

"I got several donations from people all across the state. All across the country," Ashcroft said.

For him, food has always been a way to heal. Now, it’s his way of giving back.

"I don’t have any ties to Mannford. I don’t have any reason to do something special for Mannford. I just felt that I needed to help. And the best way I could do that was to get out here and do this."

Because to him, it wasn’t about where he was from—it was about what needed to be done.

"Tonight, there’s no judgment. I don’t care if you’re a fire victim or if you live in a $1 million home on the lake. Right now, come out, eat, enjoy the music, band together as a community, and let's just have fun."

Organizers say more than 300 people attended the event—a testament to the strength of a town that refuses to stay down.

Because in Mannford, tough times don’t define them. Their response to those times does.