UPPER LAKE >> In the wake of the Saratoga Springs fire on Sept. 3 that destroyed everything she had, Leslie Humphrey is counting her blessings, and the support she”s received from her community is topping her list.
As the fire began consuming her garage and she pulled out of her driveway with nothing but her cat. She drove to Pet Acres, which not only gave her use of its phone, but also offered a place to stay, food, water and cat litter. Since then the support has continued to roll in.
A fundraising page, created by a past co-worker at Mendocino College, Ukiah, set a goal of $6,000 to aid Humphrey in her difficult time. With 47 days left to raise the money, the site has already collected $4,755 from community members who write “think of you at this time” and “let me know how else we can help” alongside their donations. Running Creek Casino has also made a donation of $2,050 in cash and services to her and her son.
“It”s such a wonderful community that”s not just offered financial assistance, but every other kind of assistance as well,” Humphrey said.
People have donated a computer and cellphone to Humphrey, the library book that burned up in the fire was forgiven and her neighbors have continued to put out food and water for the feral cats she has taken care of over time.
After losing her house, garage, two boats, a shed, a greenhouse and the trailer her son was staying in, not to mention the sentimental odds and ends of her life and her parents” lives, the hardest part, Leslie said, is just talking about how kind people have been.
“I don”t feel like I deserve it,” Humphrey said. “It makes me cry to think of everything everybody has done to help. I”ve never felt this much caring from any place I”ve lived. By word of mouth, people that I don”t even know hear that there”s somebody that needs something and they provide that something.”
Humphrey has also been in the practice of giving back to her community. Almost ironically, Humphrey has been working with Betsy Cawn of Senior Support Services, Upper Lake in the past year to create a disaster preparedness network, which is focusing on assisting elderly and disabled adults in preparing personal disaster plans.
Humphrey also planted a garden on her couple acres of property and had planned to have an excess of food which she would donate to a food giveaway program.
As soon as Humphrey can get power back and the well working again on her property, she plans to rent a small travel trailer and begin redeveloping her home with her son, Alex.
Humphrey makes searching for a silver lining look easy, explaining that at least she didn”t have a lot of toxic things on her property and that the ash from the fire is good for the soil.
“Sometimes I feel daunted by how much work this is to do, but I”m retired so I have the time to do it,” she said.
Humphrey had worked for 19 years at Mendocino College, Ukiah as a senior programmer analyst until she retired less than two years ago.
As for the allegedly intoxicated driver, Shellie Boulais, who caused the fire after losing control of her vehicle, Humphery carries sympathy, not anger, for the woman who reportedly abandoned the vehicle and attempted to hide after the grass ignited.
“A lot of my friends are angry on my behalf; I”m not angry,” Humphrey said. “If I let myself think about it, I think that I want reparation. But even more than that … I think she needs help.”
In preparation for a sudden disaster, Humphrey advises people to have a set of winter and summer clothes, a couple gallons of water, a first aid kit, nail clippers, safety pins and a comb in their car at all times. For those that can afford it, replacement insurance should be a high priority.
Above all though, Humphrey says her biggest piece of advice is to remember that “as long as you have your life, your family and your animals, everything else is just stuff.”
The fundraising site for Humphrey can be visited at www.youcaring.com/help-a-neighbor/saratoga-fire-victim/231200.
