Jeanne Terwilliger

On Sunday July 13th, Torrance Memorial invited AARBF’s Martha Banks to their First Responder Brunch in which Hospital staff, local firefighters and police officers had the opportunity to be recognized with an amazing lunch. We appreciate the partnership we share with Torrance Memorial and loved attending in support of such a wonderful acknowledgement of our first responders. Thank You Dr. Matthew Reiss, and the burn unit staff for putting this wonderful event together.

Did you know, we offer a free book to help teach your child learn how to P.R.E.P.A.R.E. for a wildfire? “The Johnsons P.R.E.P.A.R.E. for a Wildfire” is a great resource, written by former AARBF Executive Director, Jennifer Radics-Johnson, that takes your child through the steps found in our Wildfire P.R.E.P.A.R.E. guide. Discussing wildfire preparedness with your child will help them to better understand what to do during a wildfire emergency. Click here to download a free copy of this book, as well as, the other books in the Meet the Johnsons series.

And if you reside in and near the communities of Coalinga, Shaver Lake, and Piedra watch for upcoming opportunities where you can pick up a free printed copy of The Johnsons P.R.E.P.A.R.E. for a Wildfire book. If you’d like to be on our contact list for this opportunity, please email Katrina Arthur at karthur@aarbf.org.

We are still smiling from our annual Outdoor Trip, July 25-27. We fished, kayaked, paddle boarded, rock climbed, got caught in a surprise hailstorm, ate so many snacks and great food, and spent time laughing and making memories we will always cherish.

A huge thank you to everyone who made this weekend possible, from those who gave us a place to stay, kept us well-fed, and brought all the fun activities to us. Thank you to our campers for choosing to spend a weekend in the mountains with their camp family.

A special shoutout to Dash, who has led this event for 14 amazing years. Your love, dedication, and leadership have made this weekend so special year after year to where it became known as “Dash Camp”.  This was Dash’s last Outdoor Trip and he will be greatly missed.

We also acknowledge and thank our incredible counselors, this trip simply would not happen without you: Buc, Skipper, Shred, Pinecone, Mee Mee, Scooby, Chop Suey, Jett, Gidget, Fuzzy, Mougly, Grizzie, Viper, Ricky Rescue, Alpine, Mouser, Otter, Cedar, Yukon, and Jack Rabbit. You bring the magic, energy, and heart to everything we do!

Would you like to be a part of shaping future programming with AARBF? We are looking for family members, friends, and other caregivers of burn survivors to complete a short survey. This survey will help us to better understand your needs as caregivers and how we can support those needs through new or enhanced programming.

Click here to take our survey today.

For questions, please contact us at info@aarbf.org.

The Friends of AARBF is a quasi Alumni Association for past and present volunteers, camp counselors, staff, prevention partners, fundraising partners, survivors and their families, everyone who has been a super stakeholder for AARBF along the way these past 54 years.

We plan on this launching as a social group to get reconnected as much as anything else at the start, and we hope to grow it into something grander, maybe helping in fundraising to keep the foundation’s work going strong, maybe even become our own auxiliary 501(c)3 non-profit in the future!  While there will be social, volunteer, and donor opportunities, there is no commitment until something strikes your fancy and you feel like participating!

If you have already joined, thank you. Please help us reach more people by sharing this message with your AARBF friends.

If you are interested in joining us, please provide your contact information here: https://forms.gle/AMQrDVo4NcSmZU6i8

For questions about the association, please reach out to Mike “Otter” at 650-515-6142 or otter.mouser@pacbell.net.

Champ Camp celebrated its 40th year from June 7-14,2025. This year’s theme was “Level Up” where we unlocked so many new memories, goals and adventures. It was another unforgettable week where burn survivors came together to laugh, play, heal, and connect.

This year, we welcomed 94 incredible campers, including our amazing counselors-in-training, and the energy, courage, and love they brought was unmatched. From high-flying ropes courses and splashing in the lake, to racing go-karts, riding mini bikes, horseback riding, creating art and playing games, every single day was packed with many adventures and memories. Our senior campers leveled up at out-camp, where they jet skied, wake boarded, tubed, and slept under the stars. We sang loud, hugged often, and celebrated being survivors, and one big Champ Camp family. But do not just take our word for it, here is what our campers had to say:

“I think Champ Camp is great because it makes you feel comfortable in your own skin. Knowing everyone went through something that got them here, and it is okay to be different.” -Mia K.

“Champ Camp shows us that having some scars or whatever doesn’t make us weird. We are still normal and we’re not alone. There are other people out there that are the same.” -Jesus V.

“Almost everyone here, me included, say that camp is the highlight of their year, and something we always look forward to. I think the sense of community and belonging someplace is really special for everyone especially those who don’t receive enough support at home. For this reason, we cannot thank you enough for donating to fund sending kids to Champ Camp.” -Elena J.

“The best part of Champ Camp is trying new things, the people, and how everyone is so uplifting, and encouraging everyone to try new things. Not only that but I love meeting other burn survivors, knowing I’m not alone.” – Gemma G.

“I think Champ Camp is important for burn survivors like me because it lets people like us be content, a home away from home, where you meet old friends and have time to connect with new people.”
– Dylan I.

To every camper, CIT, counselor, volunteer, donor and staff member: thank you for making this week a memorable experience. You are the heart and soul of Champ Camp.

For the third year running, the Champ Camp Amazon wish list was completely fulfilled by generous donors. The wish list includes items for arts and crafts, water play, and unit activities. By assisting with direct purchase of these items, you help to extend our financial resources towards larger camp-wide activities such as the seniors out-camp, archery, horseback riding, riding mini bikes, and so much more. Thank you for supporting camp through your wish list purchase.

A favorite Champ Camp tradition is the annual Chili Cook-off. The kids have a great time tasting the chilis and voting for their favorites. This year, Fresno Firefighters retained their title for the second year as the Best Chili. Kings County Fire defended their Best Decorated Booth title, making this the third year in a row. Congratulations to both of our winning teams.

The Chili Cook-off is a highly anticipated event and we appreciate all the work you do to spend the day with us in Wonder Valley. This year’s teams included: Fresno Fire Local 202, Clovis Fire Department, CALFIRE Fresno + Kings, Kingsburg Fire Department, Dinuba Fire Department, Clovis Peace Officers Association, CRMC- Burn Unit, Central Valley FF Credit Union, Friends of Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation Alumni Association, Kings County Fire Department, and Bakersfield Firefighters Burn Foundation.