Jeanne Terwilliger

From November 12-15, our survivor services team of Michael, Martha and Erika attending the Phoenix Society’s World Burn Congress in Convington, Kentucky. An amazing group of 800 burn survivors, caregivers, medical professionals, and community members gathered together for 4 packed days full of powerful/insightful workshops, shared experiences and uplifting moments. The team was able to support the congress through leading support groups, being a part of panels and presenting about the amazing programs AARBF is able to provide in California. It was a great week of connection and continued healing.

Our Northern Care Manager, Michael Knopf, had this to say, “given that I was burned over 25 years ago, I felt for a long time that World Burn Congress wasn’t intended for me and that I had missed my window to attend and it be impactful. I felt like I was no longer the target audience for an event like that and it was more suited for folks who had been burned more recently. I could not have been more pleasantly surprised have the realization that WBC is an opportunity for all burn survivors to explore their identity and feelings as a burn survivor regardless of when, how, or how badly you were burned. It was so incredible for me to experience this and it was a much-needed reality check that no matter how far I’ve come, or how much progress I’ve made there is still so much gain from opportunities like this.”

During the month of November, long time volunteers and supporters of AARBF, Mike “Colonel” Sanders and Mike “Otter” Gonzalez hosted a donation matching challenge. We are excited to share we received $2,562 in donations of which $2,000 were matched by Colonel and Otter for a total of $4,562 Thank you to everyone who shared Colonel’s message and supported the matching campaign. We are truly grateful for you.

Our year-long sticker of the month campaign is ending. This is your last chance to receive our exclusive sticker of the month, with December featuring a festive snow globe Champy. Get yours today by making a one-time donation of $100 or more through our website or annual appeal giving page. Your support today will help us reduce our wait lists for in-demand burn survivor camps and recreation activities, such as the Young Adult Summit and Adult Retreat.

Meet Nils “Skipper” Gjertson, who’s life path changed when he was injured in a house fire that burned over 25% of his body- including his face, arms and hands.  Across the years of his recovery, Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation’s programs helped Skipper come to terms with both physical and personal challenges. According to Skipper, “AARBF’s Champ Camp, community and leadership programs filled a large void and gave me both a purpose and a sense of belonging without judgement”. Today he is a strong contributor to those programs teaching lessons he learned to new burn survivors as a camp counselor and volunteer. Visit https://givebutter.com/AARBF-AA-2025 to read Skipper’s story.

Now in our 55th year, AARBF programs have helped burn survivors across California. Please help us to deliver lasting results in our community via a direct donation now.  Our small staff and large pool of volunteers, like Skipper ensure that every dollar you contribute has a high impact. Now more than ever, we need your help, please donate and share this message with friends and family.

On October 4th, Badfish Beer hosted their 2nd annual Beerfest to raise funds for AARBF and Champ Camp. Their one-day evening event raised enough money to send fourteen kids to Champ Camp in 2026 (that is two more children than last year). Thank you to Edward Bird of Badfish for your continued passion and support.

AARBF once again partnered with the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and sent one camper and one counselor to their annual camp in Edgewater, MD, September 27th – October 4th.

IAFF’s prestigious program brings together fire fighters, medical professionals, and young burn survivors from across the United States and Canada. Our camper joined campers from 49 other burn camps to participate in a week of educational, leadership, and team-building activities. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for survivors to connect with peers, build confidence, and represent their community on a national stage.

The program includes guided tours of historic sites in Washington, D.C., visits to Smithsonian museums, a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, and a tour of the U.S. Naval Academy. These experiences are designed to foster resilience, leadership, and civic engagement among participants.

During Fire Prevention Week, October 5-11, AARBF teamed up with NFPA to promote this year’s theme, “Charge Into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home.” Through a series of social media posts, we encouraged our followers to help us spread the word about making smart choices when it comes to buying, charging, and recycling lithium-ion batteries—because the wrong move can lead to a fire.

One of our favorite Fire Prevention Week activities is the annual Central Coast Burn Relay. The Relay consists of two routes. The North route kicked off at the San Miguel Fire Station at 7:40 am stopped at six elementary schools north of Cuesta Grade. The South route kicked off at CAL Fire San Luis County Fire Department Station 70 at 8:00 am and stopped at seven local elementary schools. Each stop included a check presentation to recognize the contributions made by each Fire Department and school as well as a prevention education presentation with their corresponding fire department and AARBF representative. The event ended with a grand finale at the SLO Farmer’s Market for Fire Prevention Night, where participating fire departments, local burn survivors, and AARBF staff gave a short presentation.

This year’s participating Fire Departments in the relay procession included San Miguel, Paso Robles, Templeton, Atascadero, Santa Margarita, CAL Fire SLO County, and Five Cities Fire Department. The North route enjoyed lunch with Santa Margarita Elementary, and the South route enjoyed lunch with St. Patrick School. During these lunch breaks, firefighters were able to spend quality time with the students, engage in outdoor games and answer students’ questions. 

This relay is unique because it reaches thirteen elementary schools, totaling close to 4,500 students. The firefighters make prevention education fun and relatable to the students.

During the month of October, AARBF staff and volunteers attended several Firefighter Pancake Breakfasts and Open Houses, many of which donated their proceeds to the foundation.

Saturday, October 4th, Katrina joined the Paso Robles Fire Department for a morning of fire and burn prevention education. The PRFD opened the doors to almost 300 residents to learn about AARBF’s Stop, Drop & Roll, High 5 a Firefighter, meet a first responder therapy Dog, and enjoy some live demonstrations of the jaws of life and a structure fire.

Also on October 4th, Lea “Kamikaze” Elder was at the Mountain View Firefighters pancake breakfast where attendees were able to interact with the firefighters as they toured the station and learn about the various equipment in use. In addition, they raffled off a custom-painted 72V Vintage Electric Bike, styled to match their brand-new fire apparatus fleet.

On October 11th, the Albany Fire Department pancake breakfast and open house reached approximately 1,000 people in their community with Michael handing out 600 prevention education materials. Attendees were able to see the different equipment used within the fire station.

Across the bay in San Mateo, Dave “Shakespeare” Miller, AARBF Board President attend one of our largest fire prevention events of the season. The open house welcomes 3,500 community members to visit station 28 to watch live demonstrations of vehicle extrications, fire extinguishers drills, and learn how to make their community safer. AARBF joined in the fun sharing Stop, Drop & Roll as well as our FISE lessons to kids and families.

Also on October 11th, Lea “Kamikaze” Elder was at the Sunnyvale DPS Firefighters pancake breakfast where they fed about 750 attendees, some of whom took turns honing their Stop, Drop & Roll skills.

October 11th was a busy day for AARBF, Erika joined the Coalinga Fire Department for their annual open house, sharing burn and fire prevention with this central valley community. Station tours, equipment demonstrations, and Stop, Drop & Roll were the highlights of the day.

On October 12th, Katrina joined the Hanford Fire Department for their annual open house and safety fair. Families learned about fire alarms, how to create an escape plan, and cheered Sparky on as he showed off his Stop, Drop & Roll technique. More than 300 families attended the event, taking stickers, fire helmets, and some delicious, sweet treats.

We ended the month at the Menlo Park Fire pancake breakfast on October 25th, hosted by Junior League Palo Alto MP in partnership with Menlo Park Fire. AARBF Council members, Natalie and Susan taught Stop, Drop & Roll while attendees enjoyed a morning filled with fun family activities, seeing the fire equipment, and even a silent auction.

AARBF is proud to partner with local our fire departments to provide burn and fire prevention education.