Shortly after the September 11th attacks, Ariat contacted The Salvation Army Headquarters at Ground Zero to offer assistance and supplies. Just recently, Ariat received a call from The Salvation Army and was asked to provide new work boots for the relief workers. Ariat overnighted fifty pairs of work boots which Major George Polareck, Incident Commander at Ground Zero, appreciatively renamed, "Ariat Ground Zero Boots."

Major Polareck accepted the boots for the firefighters and expressed his gratitude to Ariat, saying, "The boots arrived at just the right time. Our firefighters needed not only the new boots, but they needed the support and a reason to go on just a little bit more."

Having worn through countless pairs of boots during the recovery efforts over the past month, New York City Firefighters gladly accepted the boots and sent Ariat a round of applause when the shipment of work boots was delivered to the site. Ariat employees also sent letters of encouragement and thanks to the emergency workers at Ground Zero. Ariat has offered additional products and services to the relief efforts, if needed. Major Polareck said he will contact Ariat with additional needs in the future.

"When word spread that firefighters at Ground Zero were wearing holes in their boots from working on and around the rough debris, we knew that Ariat could help. We welcomed the opportunity to supply boots to the emergency workers who have dedicated themselves to the September 11th recovery efforts," explained Beth Cross, President of Ariat International, a leading manufacturer of performance equestrian and leisure footwear based in Union City, CA.