Community rallies to help Cashmere photographer replace broken camera

Charlie has become an institution within all of Cashmere’s athletics programs, offering his services for nothing but the joy of providing them.

COURTESY OF GOFUNDME

Charlie Brown poses with two of Cashmere High School’s football players.

COURTESY OF GOFUNDME

Posted Monday, August 25, 2025 6:47 pm

By ANDREW SIMPSON
Ward Media Staff Reporter

CASHMERE — For years, Charlie Brown has been the man behind the lens in Cashmere. From the sidelines of Bulldog football games to community parades, concerts and small family gatherings, his photos have helped preserve the town’s memories. Thousands of images tell the story of Cashmere through his eye.

Now, the story is on pause. Brown’s camera is no longer working, leaving him unable to continue the work that has become part of the rhythm of life in the valley.

“Right now, his camera is no longer functional, and he’s unable to continue doing what he loves most: documenting our community’s story. This is our chance to come together and give back to someone who has given us so much,” wrote Adrienne Pratt-Rubio on a GoFundMe campaign launched to buy Brown a replacement. “Let’s show him just how much he means to our community!”

The fundraiser seeks to raise $5,000 for a new camera, ensuring that Brown can continue his volunteer service of capturing Cashmere’s people and places. As of Friday morning, the campaign had raised more than $1,300 of its $5,000 goal.

For many residents, Brown’s photos have been more than snapshots — they are keepsakes that mark milestones, celebrations, and community traditions. His presence with a camera in hand has been a fixture at events large and small, giving families lasting mementos and providing local organizations with a visual record of their work.

Pratt-Rubio’s appeal emphasizes that same sense of reciprocity: a town coming together to support someone who has so often been there to support it.

Gara Odenrider, whose husband is a coach and who has a junior son on the varsity football team at Cashmere High School, says they take Charlie with them to every game. “He doesn’t charge for the pictures, and he gets all the action shots, and he’s just been indispensable to athletics here in Cashmere,” she says. “The number of hours he’s put in of his own time over the years is just amazing.”

The fundraiser link is available at https://www.gofundme.com/f/lets-give-back-to-charlie-brown.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media