Lake County >> Just five days after the Valley Fire forced thousands from their homes, the Kelseyville Business Association (KBA) went forward with their monthly Kickin’ in the Country Street Dance, with one caveat — it would raise funds for fire victims.
“I’m the chair of that event for KBA and I thought, well we have two choices: we could cancel it … or we can just go ahead and make this a benefit for all of the fire victims and essentially make lemonade out of lemons,” said Ron Chips, Kelsey Creek Brewing owner. “And that’s what we decided to do.”
It was a smash success, the biggest turnout the event has ever had. They raised nearly $3,000. Of that, $530 went to the SPCA for the many displaced animals and the rest is headed to the Mendo Lake Credit Union and North Coast Opportunities (NCO) Lake County Wildfire Relief Fund.
For the night, KBA set up booths with information for evacuees, sold hot dogs and drinks and shirts and floated around a donation box. The band donated their fee to the fund and gave their tip jar to their singer who had lost her home. Chips organized transportation to and from the street dance for evacuees from Kelseyville High School.
Many fire victims attended the event for a brief distraction from reality. With hours of dancing — including a conga line — it’s clear the evening lifted the spirits of the community, at least for a few hours. “If that’s what we did, then we achieved what we wanted to do,” Chips said. “That’s the most important thing — that we provided a little break to these people where they were at a point in their life where they were in extreme turmoil.”
The street dance was the first in a stream of events in the wake of the Valley Fire. Each have served to lighten the mood just as the dance did that night. “I think everybody needs these events,” said Main Street Association President Barbara Breunig. “I think that these events that we’re doing, we’re not taking away from the devastation, but we’re giving people the good, healthy relief.”
Multiple fire benefit concerts, the Kelseyville Pear Festival (which had a large turnout), Oktoberfest — each of these not only gave fire victims a break from the hard times, they were also a way for those who watched, helpless, as the fire devastated the county, to help in the aftermath.
Manning the hot dog stand at the street dance, Chips personally saw the satisfaction that came with donating to the fire victims. He sold two hot dogs to a woman for the heavy sum of $500. “It seemed to bring a lot of joy to a lot of people because it felt like they were helping in their own little way,” he said. “It was evidenced by the money that was collected for these folks.”
In the days after the fire destroyed so many homes, many people were likely feeling a host of negative emotions. Now is the time for reflecting on the good, Breunig said. Community events are essential, “so inner feelings can come out in a positive way,” she added. “We just can’t keep our heads down.”
Also, as people’s spirits lift, they’re more likely to come up with solutions to problems and give one another a much-needed helping hand. “I think that’s why we’re having wonderful attendance,” Breunig said. “You’ve got to enjoy things too.”
Everyone can agree in the weeks after the fire, Lake County as a whole has come together in an overflowing show of support. Events are just one example of that.
“Life at times for everybody … can be really challenging and can be really tough sometimes,” Chips said. “To hold events like this where people can get out of the house one night a week, go listen to live music, I think it’s invaluable and it really speaks to the small town culture.”
Lake County isn’t San Francisco or Sacramento, and the community wouldn’t have it any other way. “We’re a different group up here and I think that’s a good thing,” Chips continued. “I’m quite honored to say I live in Lake County.”
Jennifer Gruenke can be reached at 900-2019.
