Burn Bulletin

Mike “Otter” Gonzalez first became aware of the AARBF in 1989. One of his friends at the firehouse, Bryan had been burned in a small airplane crash and treated at Bothin Burn Unit in San Francisco. After his recovery, Bryan and two other Firefighters started a golf tournament that in the second year (1989) named the AARBF as the beneficiary. Mike and his wife, Evie assisted with the tournament each year. In 1997 San Mateo County Chapter President, Mike Leong came to a SSFFD union meeting to thank the union for raising funds for AARBF and at that time told of a need for Champ Camp counselors. Mike and Evie decided they would volunteer to be Champ Camp counselors the next day, and their alter egos, Otter and Mouser were born. Otter said, “You go to camp thinking you want to give back… and you do… but it’s like anything else that you do when you work hard at it, you get back more than what you gave.”

Throughout the years that followed, Otter continued to volunteer for AARBF for different programs and in a variety of ways, including the board of directors!

In the past couple of years, Otter has taken a step back from with his event volunteering, focusing the majority of his energy on the launch and growth of the “Friends of Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation” which is a quasi-Alumni Association for past and present volunteers, champ counselors, staff, prevention partners, fundraising partners, survivors and their families, basically everyone who has been a stakeholder for AARBF these past 55 years. Otter along with his committee members have worked diligently reaching out to past volunteers and reengaging them with AARBF through monthly foundation updates, including social, volunteer, and donor opportunities. If you are interested in joining the Friends of AARBF, 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. 

Please help us thank Otter for his 38 years of service to AARBF and for his continued commitment to our success.

A Champ Camp alum and Stanford Graduate School of Education doctoral student is conducting a study to better understand how college students with physical differences/disabilities (including burn survivors) navigate campus resources and accommodations—and how families and educators support them. Want to share your experience? You can participate by completing a short online survey and/or 45–60 minute interview (Zoom or in person). Participation is completely voluntary and confidential.

Survey link: https://stanforduniversity.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9HnvRYaDCs5SFo2

Questions? Contact Maria Jose at mjme@stanford.edu or (310) 647-7235.

We are excited about the upcoming 41st Champ Camp on June 6th – 13th. We would love to have you be a part of this magical experience. Please do not delay getting your application submitted before the deadlines listed below.

Counselors in Training (CITs) – must complete your registration by March 31, 2026

Campers – parents must complete their child’s registration by May 22, 2026

Register today at http://app.campdoc.com/register/aarbf

For more information about Champ Camp or concerns about camp conflicting with your child’s school schedule, please contact Erika “Kika” Mendoza at emendoza@aarbf.org.  

The annual Fresno Urban Run is coming up quickly on Sunday, March 29th. Come out and watch as Fire Academy Cadets, Central Valley Fire Departments, Police Agencies, and Elite Runners from across the world come to Fresno to test their skills. The route starts at Chukchansi Stadium and culminates in a 10-story climb up the historic Grand Hotel. These athletes compete for medals and help raise awareness and funds for AARBF.

Visit our website www.givebutter.com/FUR2026 and support AARBF in 3 ways:

1. Create a team of runners and set a donation goal.
2. Join an existing team and run alongside them to help them achieve their goal.
3. Donate on behalf of a team or member to help them reach their goal.

Good luck FCC Fire Academy Class 65, COS Fire Academy Class 21-45, Pointdexter and all the other participants.

Applications are open for the Woody and Louise Reed Bridge to Life Scholarship for the 2026/2027 educational year. This incredible program, made possible by the Reed family, awards scholarships to burn survivors or their immediate family members seeking post-secondary education after high school. This can be community college, college, university, or trade school and is open to all ages going directly into or returning to education.

Apply today at: https://forms.gle/bffj8qEcspGto69m7

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

Champ Camp 2026 planning officially began at our annual planning weekend, January 17th-19th. Our dedicated program staff gathered in Pismo, CA to start creating another unforgettable week for our burn survivors ages 5 to 17 years. Through team building, thoughtful discussions, and lots of theme brainstorming, we are moving forward into Champ Camp’s 41st year. This year’s theme is LEGENDS and we cannot wait to bring everyone together this summer. Eligible campers and CITs are encouraged to please register as soon as possible on our camper website. Champ Camp will take place June 6th to 13th and we are so excited to welcome both new and returning campers for an unforgettable week. We appreciate our dedicated volunteers for coming together for such a productive weekend, thank you. It was incredible to see everyone’s passion for Champ Camp and the heart they bring to making this experience so special.    

For the 7th year in a row, Fire Academy Cadets, Central Valley Fire Departments, Police Agencies, and Elite Runners from across the world come to Fresno to test their skills at the Fresno Urban Run. On March 29th, starting at Chukchansi Stadium and culminating in a 10-story climb up the historic Grand Hotel, these athletes compete for medals and help raise awareness and funds for AARBF.

Visit our website www.givebutter.com/FUR2026 and support AARBF in 3 ways:

1. Create a team of runners and set a donation goal.
2. Join an existing team and run alongside them to help them achieve their goal.
3. Donate on behalf of a team or member to help them reach their goal.

Good luck FCC Fire Academy Class 65, COS Fire Academy Class 21-45, Pointdexter and all the other participants.

This month, we are honored to recognize Peter “Chop Suey” Reynaga and the many ways he continues to support the AARBF community. After sustaining burns at the age of 13, Peter quickly became involved with AARBF’s programs and has remained an active part of the burn survivor community ever since. 

Peter began volunteering with AARBF in 2014, as a Champ Camp counselor and has since taken on many roles within the organization. From supporting overnight weekend events to shuttling participants to and from activities, Peter is always willing to step in and help wherever needed. He is someone we can consistently depend on and who truly goes the extra mile. 

In addition to volunteering, Peter actively participates in support groups and retreats not only as a volunteer but also as a burn survivor. He balances many roles in his life as a son, brother, friend, and volunteer and continues to show up with so much dedication and heart. 

We appreciate you so incredibly much, Chop. Thank you for over 12 years of continued commitment as a volunteer to AARBF and the Burn Community. 

In January, applications opened for the Woody and Louise Reed Bridge to Life Scholarship for the 2026/2027 educational year. This incredible program, made possible by the Reed family, awards scholarships to burn survivors or their immediate family members seeking post-secondary education after high school. This can be community college, college, university, or trade school and is open to all ages going directly into or returning to education.

Apply today at: https://forms.gle/bffj8qEcspGto69m7

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