Clearlake Oaks >> When the Rocky Fire broke out and barreled up the north side of the county, Moose Lodge member Matt Nelson knew he needed to dig out a fire line in a large field east of the lodge, located in Clearlake Oaks at the intersection of Highways 20 and 53.
There was one problem though; he didn’t have a tractor.
He put the call out on his Facebook page at 4 p.m., asking if anyone had a tractor for his use. By 6 a.m. the next morning, three were waiting for him at the Moose Lodge.
It’s just one example of the power of social media in times of crisis.
As the fire burned and evacuees fled from their homes, the Moose Lodge posted on their Facebook page that people could take shelter there. Evacuees piled in. The lodge then consistently updated their social media site, asking for helping hands and donations of food and supplies. Volunteers showed up in droves, bringing with them so much food the lodge ran out of room in their freezer.
Numerous Facebook pages have been created for information, assistance and donations.
But with social media comes a good deal of misinformation. To combat that, Nelson decided to reach out to Cal Fire and the California Highway Patrol directly and post a video of their information. Since the officials he talked with couldn’t be on camera, Nelson asked them to stand to the side as he repeated what he’d been told. If he mentioned anything inaccurate, he asked the officials to nudge him. Nelson said it’s how he earned people’s trust in such a trying time.
Then, when Jenny Curtiss heard that Michelle Anne Olhholt’s house was destroyed in the fire, Leaving Olhholt and her two dogs in need of shelter, Curtiss reached out to Nelson through Facebook and asked if he wanted to hold a fundraiser. He jumped at the idea and the two set up a PayPal account. In less than four days, they had raised over $500. On Wednesday night at the Moose Lodge, they gifted Olhholt with a $500 check.
The $500 is just the beginning. Nelson has friends in Morgan Valley who have lost their home to Rocky and he hopes to keep the fundraiser going. “I’m trying to go to people that would really appreciate it,” Nelson said. “I find out who needs what the most.”
Nelson has never been witness to such an extraordinary show of support. “I think that everybody’s always had the heart here,” he said. It just took a tragedy for people to come together. “Everyone was so caught up in drama, they couldn’t find their direction,” he added.
In the wake of the fires and the assistance of the community, Nelson said, “I’ve found my purpose.”
There’s plenty of evidence to prove that heart has indeed always been here in Lake County. People were using social media to tap into it long before the fires broke out. Recently, after an elderly couple who regularly visit the Moose Lodge took a fall on their old deck, Nelson again reached out through Facebook asking if anyone would be willing to fix the couple’s deck. John Mathis, a retired contractor, volunteered his time and materials. When asked why he redid the deck free of charge, he simply put a hand to his heart. “One of these days I’m going to be that age,” he added. “I hope someone will help me.”
Mathis, too, has been humbled to see the support flooding both the Moose Lodge and the county in the past couple of weeks. “It’s just amazing how many good people there are,” he said. “I hope everybody can really appreciate what the community has done as a group.”
Jennifer Gruenke can be reached at 900-2019.
Cutline 1: Matt Nelson (right) and Dave Mallow (left) of the Moose Lodge in Clearlake Oaks just after Nelson presented Michelle Anne Olhholt with a $500 check after he house burnt down in the Rocky Fire.
Cutline 2: Donations line tables at the Moose Lodge. The lodge used their Facebook account to put out information on the fire and ask for donations for evacuees staying at the lodge.
