Late last week a woman called from the Eureka area wanting to know how she might donate a “like new” dining room set. It was just one of a few dozen similar inquiries we’ve fielded since the Valley Fire erupted.
People want to help. They really do.
Truckloads of donated goods have arrived from all over California and from organizations in other states. People continue to contribute at fundraising concerts and events. Davis Tire in Lakeport turned their profits for a day over to fire relief. Lagunitas brewery’s tap room in Petaluma collected all sales of two of their beers over several days. The Oakland Raiders sent cleats and other equipment to the Middletown Mustangs, as did other high schools.
It would require days to document all of the donation drives. Describing the effort to process the stuff and move it into the hands of fire victims … well, that needs a few additional pages. Good were pouring into shelters and churches almost non-stop.
Because of this charitable desire, volunteers find it difficult to keep up. Shoes, shirts, furniture, spoons, soap, cat food — it all must be sorted and arranged and dispensed. And, of course, boxes and boxes of worn out or useless items end up in the donation bins. At the Moose Lodge they labeled these “crap” and tossed them aside.
Like characters from a Jeff Foxworthy routine, some don’t know the difference between hand me downs and garbage.
But I shouldn’t point fingers. My everyday rocking chair cost five bucks at a fourth-hand store.
In the meantime, elected officials spoke up for the county in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. The federal government offers the promise of recovery monies and loans through FEMA and SBA. FEMA anticipated 2,000 sign ups and closed in on that point early last week and surpassed it by a large margin on Thursday. We are now in that grey area between immediate need and ‘what next?’
Yes, what next?
The core businesses of Cobb survived. But the Valley Fire torched many homes — including those of business owners — and it will be several years before things return to normal. Will the Village Pub or Mutt & Jess or the golf course and clubhouse Beau Moore was in the midst of reviving have a market if people choose not to rebuild?
Well, the Moore family and others held a Cobb community gathering to reconnect friends and neighbors, to hear stories and share information. More importantly, the get together intended to inspire a ‘Cobb Strong’ momentum. Some 500 people reportedly attended. Anecdotal evidences suggests that all shop owners are planning to return.
In Middletown, the great La Parilla restaurant was back in operation. Michael Wood of Shed Horn Cellars, who lost both his home in the blaze, immediately reassured people that the tasting room remained intact and his stock of brilliant wines survived. Even as the fire coursed around them, Hardester’s employees sought entry into the fire zone in order to open up and serve responders. And then there are the high school kids, several of whom lost their homes, suiting up to complete their soccer, football, volleyball or cross country schedules …
How many examples of Middletown strong is it necessary to share?
In Hidden Valley Lake residents put aside squabbles as they waited out the fire. Those who had issued complaints about community management before now urged unity. Chic Le Chef, a neat catering operation and restaurant, scrambled successfully to meet as many of their commitments as possible. Clearly they will not yield to the Valley Fire.
At the end of the week, Gov. Jerry Brown issued an executive order allowing mobile homes and RVs to serve as temporary homes while people rebuild. This will help ensure that the areas destroyed will recover and beat as strong as before. As much as assistance from state and federal governments is welcome, however, the residents of these communities need little encouragement to stand strong and restore their lives. The people of this county are a difficult group to beat.
So, yes, we’ve learned that people everywhere are willing to lend a hand. Shelters, churches and clubs are still sorting through all the stuff. But we relearn America’s essential sympathy with every disaster.
As for the ‘what next,’ we are about to realize the strength of community in Lake County. Cobb, Middletown and parts of Hidden Valley may never be the same, but they will not go away.
