https://www.mariahschallenge.com/

Butte Guns & Hoses Softball Game, 225 N. Alaska Street, Butte, MT (2026)

10/16/2026

🔥🚔 SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON JON & CASSIE WICK 🚒🔥

Some people support a community by writing a check.

Others support it by showing up again and again.

Jon & Cassie Wick are those people.

Through 5518 Designs and Dig City Supply, the Wicks have built more than successful local businesses. They’ve built businesses that are deeply connected to Butte and the people who call this community home.

Jon started 5518 Designs in 2012, growing it from a small operation in his spare bedroom into a recognizable Butte/Montana brand. Today, 5518 Designs and Dig City Supply are part of the Uptown Butte business community, with Dig City Supply carrying Montana Tech, Butte and local school apparel.

But their impact goes well beyond their businesses.

Jon has been involved with Mariah’s Challenge, including serving as Executive Director, and has supported numerous community organizations and fundraising efforts throughout the years. He has also been recognized for his contributions to Butte and Montana, including being named a Montana Tech Distinguished Alumni and receiving the Butte-Silver Bow Moving Mountains Award.

Cassie has also dedicated herself to the community through her advocacy work with Ability Montana, working on issues affecting people with disabilities and accessibility. She has also been involved in the leadership of the Uptown Butte Business Improvement District.

Together, Jon and Cassie have repeatedly used their businesses, their talents and their connections to help other people and organizations in Butte.

One example was their involvement in helping the M&M Bar following its devastating fire. They helped organize a fundraiser that provided significant assistance toward helping the historic Butte business rebuild.

And this year, they once again stepped up for Mariah’s Challenge Guns & Hoses.

Jon & Cassie donated the 5518/Dig City Supply police and fire shirts that were sold at the game, with proceeds going toward Mariah’s Challenge.

That donation wasn’t just about shirts.

It helped us raise more money for Mariah’s Challenge, gave our community something unique to take home from the event, and brought two local Butte businesses into the middle of a community fundraiser.

That’s what makes local businesses special.

It’s not just about what they sell.

It’s about what they give back.

Jon & Cassie — thank you for everything you continue to do for Butte, for Mariah’s Challenge, and for the people who make this community what it is.

We are proud to have had 5518 Designs & Dig City Supply as part of Guns & Hoses.

Thank you for believing in this event and, more importantly, believing in the cause behind it.

10/13/2026

⚾️🔥 THANK YOU, STEVE BAIR! 🚒🚔

We want to give a huge shout-out to Steve Bair for volunteering his time and serving as one of the umpires for our Guns & Hoses Charity Softball Game!

Steve stepped up and helped us out on the field, bringing his experience and knowledge of the game to Stodden Park. Volunteers like Steve are a big reason we were able to put this event together and make it such a great day for the community.

Steve has also spent many years involved in Butte athletics and youth sports, including coaching and helping young athletes throughout the community.

We appreciate you giving your time, Steve, and helping us make the first Guns & Hoses game a success!

Thank you, Steve Bair, for being part of the team behind the scenes and helping us put on a great game for Mariah’s Challenge!

10/13/2026

⚾️🔥 THANK YOU, MIKE “SKINNY” FOLEY! 🔥⚾️

Some people don’t just show up for one event, they’ve been giving back to Butte sports for decades.

We want to recognize Mike “Skinny” Foley for volunteering his time as an umpire for our Guns & Hoses Charity Softball Game!

Mike has dedicated decades to Butte athletics, coaching, officiating, and helping generations of young athletes. His involvement in local sports has made a lasting impact on the Butte community, and we were proud to have someone with his experience behind the plate for our first Guns & Hoses game.

For us, having Mike volunteer his time wasn’t just about having an umpire, it was another example of the people in this community who are willing to step up and help make something special happen.

Mike, thank you for everything you’ve done for Butte sports over the years, and thank you for giving us your time and helping make Guns & Hoses a success!

We appreciate you, Skinny!

10/09/2026

🔥🚔 THE HISTORY OF GUNS & HOSES IN BUTTE 🚒🏀⚾

As we look back on the incredible success of the 2026 Guns & Hoses Charity Softball Game, we thought it would be pretty cool to look back at where this tradition came from.

The Guns & Hoses name has a history in Butte that goes back more than a decade.

🏀 2015 — Guns & Hoses Basketball

Butte police officers and firefighters squared off in the first documented Guns & Hoses charity basketball game benefiting Mariah’s Challenge.

The game featured celebrity coaches Bob Green, former Montana Tech football coach, and Mick Delaney, former University of Montana football coach.

Ryan Hardy presented Mariah’s Challenge with a $7,050 donation from the event.

🏀 2016 — 2nd Annual Guns & Hoses Basketball Challenge

The rivalry continued the following year.

Butte Police officers Chris Snyder and Ryan Hardy presented Mariah’s Challenge with a $6,600 donation generated by the second annual basketball game.

That means the two documented basketball games alone raised $13,650 for Mariah’s Challenge.

🏀⚾ FROM BASKETBALL TO SOFTBALL — THE PLAYERS WHO CARRIED IT FORWARD

One of the coolest parts of the Guns & Hoses history is seeing some of the same people continue the tradition years later.

Players who participated in both a Guns & Hoses basketball game and the 2026 Guns & Hoses softball game:

* Tyler Costello
* Bryce Foley
* Tim Berger
* Kahl Clark
* Matt Doble
* Dan Boyle
* Lee Sullivan

These players are part of the connection between the original Guns & Hoses basketball games and the 2026 softball revival.

⚾ THEN CAME SOFTBALL.

Thanks to Ryan Hardy, the idea was born to move the Guns & Hoses rivalry to the softball field — giving police and fire another way to compete, have some fun, bring the community together, and raise money for a great cause.

A softball game was planned for 2020, but COVID-19 put those plans on hold.

Then came 2026.

🔥🚔 GUNS & HOSES WAS BACK! 🚒

After years on the shelf, the idea was brought back by members of the Butte Police Department and Butte Fire Department.

On September 26, 2026, the Finest and the Bravest finally took the field at Stodden Park for the Guns & Hoses Charity Softball Game benefiting Mariah’s Challenge.

From basketball…

➡️ To a planned softball game…

➡️ To COVID putting it on hold…

➡️ To finally bringing Guns & Hoses back to the field in 2026.

The mission has remained the same:

Bring law enforcement, firefighters and the community together while supporting Mariah’s Challenge and honoring Mariah’s memory.

A huge thank-you to everyone who helped make the 2026 game possible — the players, sponsors, volunteers, families, fans, firefighters, police officers, and especially everyone who supported Mariah’s Challenge.

This isn’t just a game.

It’s a tradition.

It’s a rivalry.

It’s a community.

And most importantly, it’s about giving back.

🔥🚔 GUNS & HOSES — THE TRADITION CONTINUES. 🚒🏀⚾

10/09/2026

RECOGNIZING JOE McLAFFERTY

When we started putting together the first Mariah’s Challenge Guns & Hoses Charity Softball Game, we quickly learned that an event like this takes a community.

It takes businesses willing to donate.
It takes people willing to volunteer.
And it takes people like Joe McLafferty, who are willing to step up and help make things happen.

Joe supported our event through Harrington Pepsi and went above and beyond by helping us with the banners for the game. Those banners were a small part of a much bigger effort, but they helped turn an idea into a real community event.

What we appreciate most is that Joe didn’t just write a check and walk away. He helped us make things happen behind the scenes and contributed to making the first Guns & Hoses game something the Butte community could be proud of.

That is what makes Butte special.

This community has a long history of people and businesses stepping up for one another, supporting local causes, and helping when someone asks for a hand. Joe McLafferty is one of the people who answered that call for Mariah’s Challenge.

Joe, thank you for your support, your donation, your help with the banners, and for being willing to stand behind something that was bigger than just a softball game.

We are incredibly grateful for everyone who helped make Guns & Hoses possible, and we’re proud to recognize the people who helped make it happen.

Thank you, Joe and Harrington Pepsi!

10/07/2026

A HUGE THANK YOU TO McQUEEN ATHLETIC CLUB!

We want to give a huge shout-out to McQueen Athletic Club for sponsoring the 2026 Guns & Hoses Charity Softball Game benefiting Mariah’s Challenge!

Your support helped make this event possible, and we truly appreciate you stepping up to support our community and this important cause.

We also want to give a special thank you to McQueen Athletic Club for hosting us after the game and giving our players, families, volunteers, and supporters a place to come together, relax, and celebrate after an incredible day. It was the perfect way to wrap up the event! ⚾

We are extremely grateful for everything you did to support Guns & Hoses and Mariah’s Challenge.

Thank you, McQueen Athletic Club, for being a part of our team and helping make this event one to remember!

10/06/2026

A BIG THANK YOU TO DEREK ALT (DALT)!

We want to give a special shoutout to Derek Alt for going above and beyond to help us get the field ready for Guns & Hoses.

Derek came in on his day off to help prepare the field for the game, and he didn’t even come alone. He brought his son along with him and put in the work to make sure we had a field ready for everyone to play on.

That’s the kind of community support that means a lot.

Derek already spends plenty of time giving back through his work with Butte-Silver Bow Parks and his involvement with Northwest Little League, but he still took time on his own day off to help us out.

We can’t thank him enough for stepping up, bringing his son along, and helping make our first Guns & Hoses Charity Softball Game happen.

Sometimes it’s the people doing the work behind the scenes who deserve the biggest thank-you.

Derek, thank you for showing up, putting in the work, and helping us make this happen for Mariah’s Challenge! 👊

10/05/2026

🔥🚔 SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: PORTSON DESIGNS 🚒⚾

We want to give a huge THANK YOU to Portson Designs for being a sponsor of the 2026 Guns & Hoses Charity Softball Game benefiting Mariah’s Challenge!

As a local Butte business, Portson Designs stepped up to support our event and help us raise money for an incredible cause. Every sponsor, no matter the size, played an important part in making this event possible.

Portson Designs specializes in custom embroidery, screen printing, apparel, promotional items, team gear and more. They do some great work for local businesses, teams, schools, organizations and community groups.

We truly appreciate their support of Guns & Hoses and Mariah’s Challenge!

Please take a moment to check them out and support another great local Butte business! 👕🧢

Thank you, Portson Designs! 🇺🇸

10/02/2026

DAVE ANDREWS & METALS SPORTS BAR & GRILL - WHAT GIVING BACK TO BUTTE LOOKS LIKE

As I continue thanking the people who helped make our first Guns & Hoses Charity Softball Game possible, I want to take some time to recognize someone who has been giving back to Butte in ways that go far beyond one event, Dave Andrews and Metals Sports Bar & Grill.

When I started putting Guns & Hoses together, I quickly learned something about Butte:

You can have an idea, but an idea doesn’t become a community event without people willing to step up and help make it happen.

Dave is one of those people.

And his contributions to Butte aren’t limited to Guns & Hoses.

For years, Metals has been a place where Butte’s community comes together. They have opened their doors to local teams, athletes, coaches, businesses, organizations and community events. Their Team Room has welcomed local teams and athletes, while their Coaches Corner celebrates Butte’s athletic history and the people who have helped build it.

Dave has also been involved in supporting local sports and Montana Tech athletics, providing a place for athletes, coaches and supporters to gather and celebrate.

But what stands out to me is that Dave doesn’t just operate a business in Butte.

He operates a business that is part of Butte.

He provides a place for athletes to celebrate.

A place for organizations to meet.

A place for community events to happen.

A place where local businesses and people can come together.

Dave has also been involved with community events such as Music on Main, helping bring people into Uptown Butte and supporting the local businesses and organizations that make our community what it is.

And when somebody comes to Dave with an idea that can benefit Butte, he’s willing to listen.

That’s exactly what happened with Guns & Hoses.

Dave and Metals believed in what we were trying to accomplish for Mariah’s Challenge, and their support became another piece of a much bigger community effort.

Our first game ultimately raised $11,100 for Mariah’s Challenge.

Community fundraising works because people like Dave are willing to contribute their business, their resources, their connections and their support.

That’s what makes Butte special.

So Dave, thank you.

Thank you for supporting Guns & Hoses.

Thank you for supporting Butte’s athletes.

Thank you for supporting local events and organizations.

Thank you for giving people a place to come together.

And most importantly, thank you for continuing to invest in the community you call home.

People like Dave Andrews are a big reason Butte continues to be the Richest Hill on Earth.

10/02/2026

FROM THE PIG BOWL TO GUNS & HOSES 🏈⚾️

Looking back at the history of the Pig Bowl makes this year’s Guns & Hoses game even more special.

Back in 2010 & 2011, the Pig Bowl brought law enforcement, corrections, and community members together for a charity football game benefiting Mariah’s Challenge, along with other local causes.

What makes that history even cooler is that several players who took the field for this year’s Guns & Hoses have also been part of the Pig Bowl tradition.

Chris Tierney
Mike Regan
Josh Stearns
Bryce Foley
Josh Robinson

These guys have been part of both the Pig Bowl and Guns & Hoses, continuing a tradition of first responders and community members coming together through sports to support causes bigger than themselves.

And some of these names have been involved in these charity games for years — showing that the spirit behind these events has never really changed.

From the Pig Bowl to Guns & Hoses, the mission remains the same:

Come together. Give back. Make a difference.

This year’s Guns & Hoses game was more than just a softball game. It was another chapter in a long-standing Butte tradition of competition, camaraderie, and supporting our community.

Thank you to everyone who has helped carry that tradition forward. This is bigger than a game.

Butte Guns & Hoses Softball Game

10/16/2026

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