Jeanne Terwilliger

Our thoughts are with the Oken Family as we remember and honor the memory and legacy of Stan Oken. The Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation is honored to be a part of Stan’s legacy through Champ Camp.

On November 21, 1980, Stan Oken was staying on the 21st floor of the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas when heavy black smoke filled the hallway. Not knowing where the fire was but knowing he needed to leave the building immediately, he started down the stairwell. With people backing up the stairwell and the doors to the floors locked, Stan realized he needed to find another escape route, turned, and went up the stairs to the 26th floor, where he was able to reach a helicopter that flew him and others to safety. About 5,000 people were in the hotel, and 85 perished in the fire. Stan experienced and sought help for survivor’s guilt. He decided the best healing was to give back to other survivors.  

Our burn camp had only been in existence for a couple of years when Stan’s family began subsidizing the camp. Stan went to the AARBF board and told them the children needed a camp that could prepare them for real life, not just a one-week protected experience. He told them they shouldn’t be calling it a burn camp; it should be called “Champ Camp” because the children are champions going through surgeries and recovery! Stan has said, “Champ Camp has been the biggest thing in my life that has touched me.”  With the support of Stan Oken and the entire Oken Family, Champ Camp was moved to Wonder Valley, where it will be hosting its 41st camp in June. A milestone made possible by Stan’s choice to heal through giving.

We will miss you, Stan. Thank you for being our champion.  

The Oken family invites you to join them for a Celebration of Life on Sunday, April 19th, at Wonder Valley, starting at 11:30 am. Details are available here: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/fresno-ca/stan-oken-12753066

On March 7, 2026, the Torrance Firefighter Association proudly hosted the 52nd Annual Spaghetti Dinner alongside the Bake Sale by the Torrance Firefighter Women’s Foundation — and the community showed up in the biggest way.

Together, they served about 800 meals and celebrated the spirit of giving that makes Torrance Firefighter Association so special. Thanks to the generosity and support of everyone who attended, the Firefighter Association was able to donate $14,000 to support our amazing Champ Camp.

A huge thank you to our volunteers, our firefighters, our Women’s Foundation, and every community member who joined us.  Your support truly makes a difference.

And an extra-special thank you to Scott Diekmann, who dedicated 28 years to organizing this beloved event. His commitment is deeply meaningful to the burn community, and his heart shaped this tradition in the most impactful way.

On Saturday March 7th, we were so fortunate to attend this year’s Charity Burn Gala hosted by The San Jose Firefighters Burn Foundation (SJFFBF). SJFFBF does so much to help the community here in CA. The support they offer patients treated by our friends at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center has made such a strong impact on the lives and recovery of so many survivors. It was such an incredible night filled with great food, awesome auction items, and the company of some truly remarkable members of the burn community. We got to hear from survivors who shared their stories about overcoming the challenges early on in their recovery, and to see them that night, dressed up feeling proud and triumphant was so special. Also, getting a snapshot into the work the burn unit at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center is doing to ensure the best possible care for survivors now, and in the future has us confident that anyone who finds themself as a patient there is in great hands. 

Thank you so much, SJFFBF, for such a great night of celebration and your continuous involvement in the burn survivor community and hospital staff at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Your commitment to helping survivors and their families makes a lasting and meaningful difference. We so deeply appreciate your compassion, enthusiasm, and generosity you bring to our mission every day. 

We look forward to the continuation of our working partnership again this year.

Over the weekend of March 13–15, we took 37 burn survivors ages 7–17 and over 20 volunteers up to Bear Valley for the annual Statewide California Ski Trip, and it was such an amazing weekend.

Thank you to Bear Valley Skyline Resort for providing lessons, rental equipment, food, and an overall incredible experience on the mountain. For a lot of our survivors, this was their first time skiing or snowboarding. There were some tense nerves at the beginning, but it did not take long before we started seeing confidence build. By the end of the day, they were trying new runs, supporting each other, and really owning it. Seeing that shift always makes these trips worth it. The majority of our group was out on the slopes the entire time, which was really fun to see.

After a full day on the mountain, we were hosted by Bear Valley Public Safety and taken on snowmobiles throughout the town. This is always a highlight for our group. It gave everyone a chance to have fun in a different way, laugh a lot, and just take in the experience together.

More than anything, this weekend was about connections. Watching the group show up for each other, celebrate the small wins, and step outside of their comfort zones in a real way is what stood out the most. We wrapped up the weekend with drinks from Gold Country Roasters, sitting around the gazebo in the park and sharing our favorite moments from the trip.

We also want to thank Stockton Fire Department Station 2, Ebbetts Pass Fire, Manteca Fire, and Arnolds Angels for feeding our group throughout the weekend. A special thank you to Murphys Fire for lodging us in their training center.

Another huge thank you to our awesome volunteers who made this weekend so special and safe for our campers.

Overall, we enjoyed a very meaningful weekend with an amazing community.

On Saturday, March 14th, AARBF was honored to be the charity of choice for the Clovis Rodeo Association’s CowGirl Up Luncheon. Our director, Katrina, was joined by survivors Veronica, Glow, Ducky, and Nene to enjoy an afternoon of community and fundraising. AARBF would like to thank the Clovis Rodeo Association for the care and hard work they put into this wonderful event, the generous donors who supported the live and silent auctions, and last but not least, all of the gorgeous Cowgirls who came out in support of the Rodeo Association and AARBF. We are truly grateful for your support of our mission and the 41st Champ Camp, coming up this June. 

We loved spending time with the Alameda County Firefighters on Saturday, March 14th, when they hosted an amazing St. Patrick’s Day Pancake Breakfast. The morning included enjoying delicious green pancakes and raising awareness (and funds) for fire safety and prevention.

After Breakfast, Station 16 happened to be right along the path of the Dublin CA’s 42nd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Parade so attendees could continue to enjoy all of the festivities. Such a fun community event and we’re so grateful folks had an opportunity to get outside, wear something green, enjoy spending time with family, and most importantly, eat pancakes.

Thank you to Alco Fire, for all of the work you put into keeping our community safe and protected. Looking forward to being with you at the next pancake breakfast.

AARBF’s Board President, Dave Miller, joined the San Luis Obispo chapter of the King David’s Masonic Lodge for an evening event on March 17th. The masons donated $2,500 in support of AARBF’s mission to support burn survivors and their families and to provide burn prevention education. We are honored to partner with the Lodge. 

AARBF once again joined the California Fire Symposium held annually in Fresno, CA, for their Cornhole tournament. AARBF’s Katrina and Erika were joined by volunteers Hydra and Chop Suey to promote essential partnerships between fire departments across the state and AARBF. Our teamwork brings together firefighters and volunteers in support of our prevention education and burn survivors in their communities. We thank the California Training Officers Association for their work in putting together the raffle and cornhole tournament and for supporting the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation with a donation of $16,426. 

Over the weekend of March 20–23, we gathered at Pali Retreat in Running Springs, CA for our Women’s Empowerment Weekend, “Wild & Rooted,” bringing together female burn survivors ages 21 and older for a few days of connection, reflection, and growth. 

Throughout the weekend, participants moved through a thoughtfully designed series of workshops centered on identity, healing, and personal growth. From grounding in our sense of wildness, to creative activities like the tree wall and Kintsugi, each space offered a different way to reflect and reconnect. Workshops like embracing your inner child, upside down, and post-traumatic growth opened the door for deeper conversations around healing, resilience, and growth. There was also space for joy and expression through music, dancing, and open mic, which brought a lot of laughter, vulnerability, and shared energy into the room.  

We also made time for fun and stepping outside of our comfort zones. The group zip line was a highlight of the weekend and something many participants were really looking forward to as a fun and exciting part of the experience. While there were still some nerves, it quickly turned into a moment of encouragement, laughter, and cheering each other on. It was one of those experiences that really captured both the joy and strength of the group. 

Throughout the weekend, there was also a shared sense of trusting the process and trusting the universe, allowing space for things to unfold in ways that felt meaningful for each person. Those moments of reflection, connection, and even uncertainty became part of the growth. 

More than anything, this weekend was about the community. It was about showing up as you are, being seen, and being supported by others who truly understand the burn recovery journey. Across workshops, shared meals, and late-night conversations, meaningful connections were built that will last far beyond the weekend. 

A big thank you to our Angel Flight pilots for helping make this experience possible and supporting our participants in getting to and from the weekend safely. We’re also so grateful to everyone who helped create this space and to the women who showed up fully and made the weekend what it was.