ROCHESTER, N.Y. — After a warehouse fire earlier this month left Fleet Feet and YellowJacket Racing’s storage room with nothing but debris, owner Ellen Brenner-Boutiller is still pushing forward to get everyone back on their feet. 

“After the fire, our response was that we’re moving forward, and that’s still our response it’s not changing,” Brenner-Boutillier said. “And we’re just going to do what we have to do to service the community and provide the events that we provide.”

The fire hit Fleet Feet hard. The company lost nearly all of its warehouse stock. Saturday’s event at Cobbs Hill was a way to garner community support.

“We pretty much lost 95% of our stuff,” said Brenner-Boutillier. “We have very little left. And actually, the stuff that you may see here today was purchased after the fire just so we could be ready for this event and the ones upcoming for the next few months.”

And preparing for those events is going to require all hands on deck. 

“Every sign on this course started getting made the day after the fire,” said Brenner-Boutillier. “So we’re doing it race by race. So we’re looking at the needs of each race and working that direction. 

With its largest event of the year less than a month away, Brenner-Boutiller says Fleet Feet is already starting to prepare for the 3,300 people expected to participate in its Webster Turkey Trot. 

“Our big arches are supposed to be coming in,” Brenner-Boutillier said. “We’re getting a larger sound system so we’re just slowly trying to get things in as we can.”

But the community’s overwhelming support makes her hopeful that the race will go on. 

“We are so grateful to the community,” Brenner-Boutillier said. “The outpouring of love, tremendous.”