Rotary aiding victims in four counties
During the night on Sunday, October 8, 14 separate fires erupted in the North Bay communities of, Napa, Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties. Tens of thousands of residents fled for their lives with, in most cases, just the clothes on their backs. Many of those residents are still displaced. To date, nearly 7000 structures have been destroyed and many lives have been lost with the death toll climbing every day.
The immediate financial needs for these communities are vast.
The Rotary District 5130 Fire Relief Fund is now accepting cash donations to support those in Napa, Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties.
“The magnitude of the devastation that is occurring right now in the North Bay and Wine Country is vast and far reaching,” said Rotary District 5130 Governor Bob Rogers. “The recovery and rebuild is going to be a long process but we are confident that we can lead the way in bringing these communities back. Rotarians know how to get things done and won’t stop until we reach the finish line.”
The Rotary 5130 Fire Relief Fund is administered by Rotarians and supports a multitude of areas of need as identified, including but not limited to; small business grants, housing, shelter support, grief counseling, unmet needs and any other assistance to the businesses and residents that have been displaced by this tragedy. 100% of all donations will be used to support the fire survivors with no fund overhead expense.
The fund is the outgrowth of The Lake Area Rotary Club Fire Relief Fund (LARCA) that was created by the Lake County Rotary clubs in 2015 after a series of fires ravaged through the community including the devastating Valley Fire, raised nearly $1 Million. The LARCA fund has been successfully deployed these past 18 months to assist those described by Ron Roberts, President of the Lake Area Rotary Club Association,
“The goal of our committee from day one has been to find the holes in the system and get the help to where it is needed most and do it with nearly zero overhead costs,” Roberts said. “With the onslaught of these new and incredibly devastating fires in our neighboring counties, it’s now time to take that knowledge and experience we gained here in Lake County and now expand it to help others.”
For more information on the fund or to donate online, go to www.larca5130.org. Questions can be sent to larca5130@gmail.com Checks can be mailed payable to:
LARCA Rotary District 5130 Fire Relief Fund
PO Box 2921
Clearlake CA 95422
501c3 Non-Profit # 46-1149482
Soroptimists to provide pre paid cards
The deadly fires of Northern California with over 200,000 acres burned and with horrific loss of life leave all of us devastated. The fires have also left thousands homeless, without power and without even the basics for daily living.
The Soroptimists International of Clear Lake with their Founder Region (a network of six districts and 55 clubs, many included in the fire areas) are working to help the survivors. As they did for the Valley Fire, where $25,000 was raised, they are again reaching out.
The Soroptimists are asking for donations that are turned into gift cards for survivors; department store cards, gas cards, pre paid VISAs and grocery store cards.
The place to contact if you want to help through the non-profit organization is to send a monetary donation and/or VISA MasterCard gift cards to Founder Region Wildfire Fund, C/O Founder Region Treasurer Vicki Ham at P.O. Box 1787 Willits , CA 95490.
