Each year, the Kiwanis Club of Clovis provides the cash bar for our annual Dinner & Dance and then donates the proceeds to us in support of our programs and services, such as Champ Camp. On Thursday, November 14th, Katrina Arthur was up bright and early to attend the morning Kiwanis meeting and was honored to be presented with a check for $2,000. This donation will sponsor two children to attend our 40th Champ Camp in June 2025.
November 13-15, Daniel Chacon attended the bi-annual conference for the International Association of Burn Camps (IABC) hosted by the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation at their Twin Lakes Camp. At the conference, Daniel was honored to accept two awards. The first was in honor of his work with the IABC Board of Directors. The second, the Camp Spirit Award which was awarded posthumously to James Bosch for his many years of work within the burn community and his contribution towards burn camp programming. This award was accepted on behalf of James’ family. Daniel enjoyed his time networking with and learning from other camp professionals from all across North America.
During the month of November, we had wonderful community partners hosting toy drives in the Central Valley, greater Los Angeles area, and San Jose/San Francisco Bay area to benefit AARBF’s holiday parties.
In the Central Valley, we partnered with the Central Valley Firefighters Credit Union, Sierra High CSF, Coalinga Fire Department, and the Leon S Peters Burn Unit at CRMC. For the Los Angeles party, we were excited to partner for the first time with F&A Federal Credit Union. In the Bay area, we partnered once again with the Bank of Montreal (BMO Bank) at fourteen of their locations from Gilroy to Redwood City. The toy drive within BMO Bank will continue until the end of December and the toys collected will be provided to the burn units to use for their young patients all year round.
We greatly appreciate our toy drive partners and all they do to make the holidays brighter for burn survivors and their families.
During November, Daniel Chacon visited with the representatives of the Northern California Fire Prevention Officers Association and was presented with a check for $2,500 which was proceeds from their annual Golf Tournament. Daniel also met up with our friends at Sunnyvale Public Safety Officer’s Association where he received a check for $7,625 from their annual Pancake Breakfast. These partnerships ensure we can continue providing much needed prevention programming throughout California as well as emotional support services to our burn survivors.
We have entered the holiday season and for some it can be a source of stress. Organizing the gatherings and meals can become a storm of misunderstandings and disagreements, especially for some of our burn survivors and their families. But how to improve the situation?
By acknowledging your needs and allowing yourself to navigate the holiday season in a way that feels right to you and your loved ones, the holiday season can become a time of healing and connection, rather than just a source of stress.Our Care Managers are here to help. If you need group or peer support, please reach out to Martha Banks at mbanks@aarbf.org (Southern CA) or Michael Knopf at mknopf@aarbf.org (Northern CA).
“It would have been impossible for me to be where I am right now, if I had not received the emotional, physical, and financial support from the Burn Foundation.” -Rosa Diaz
In December 2007, just as the holidays began, Rosa suffered a severe burn injury. What should have been a season of joy turned into one of pain and uncertainty. Yet, her journey from isolation to community reminds us of the difference we can make, especially during the holidays when hope and healing are needed most. Click here to continue Rosa’s story.
On Friday, September 27, South San Francisco Firefighter’s Charitable Foundation hosted their 9th Annual Bocce Ball Tournament at the Orange Memorial Park Bocce Ball Courts. We had a great time. AARBF’s Daniel Chacon and volunteer Clark “Grizzy” Stern had a great time visiting with the teams and sharing information about the foundation! Proceeds from this event will benefit AARBF’s programs and services.
October is Fire Prevention Month and is a very busy time for the foundation. Most activities occur during or near Fire Prevention Week, October 6th – 12th. This year’s theme was “Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!” The campaign was focused on the importance of having working smoke alarms in the home. AARBF utilized our social media platforms to raise awareness of fire and burn prevention tips and programs. Read through this month’s stories to learn about the ways we engaged with our communities this past month.
In honor of Fire Prevention Week and AAC Awareness Month 2024, Pyramid Educational Consultants and the AARBF, have teamed up again to create a Smoke Alarm Safety infographic to help learners who benefit from using visual directions and resources.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) theme for 2024 was “Smoke Alarms: Make Them Work for You!™.” There are many types of smoke alarms available to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities and communication challenges. Our colorful infographic is designed to help families and educators be better prepared for fire emergencies by choosing the best smoke alarm for their learners and practicing the skills to respond to smoke alarms. An additional teaching guide is also available to help with teaching these important skills.
