Southern CA Regional Message – April 2022
My name is Margarita Rodriguez and I am the Senior Regional Manager for Southern California. Below is my message to you for the month of April 2022.
Can you believe we are in April already? Spring is here!
Coming up in May we have the wonderful Day at the Park with Burn survivors and their families. We would love to see you there: look for the registration form in social media.
For those that Love Champ Camp as much as we do- there is a treat in store for you. Dates for Champ Camp have been posted, so check out the Champ Camp page for more information at Champ Camp – AARBF.
If I can answer questions, connect you to our Therapy program, or help you with something else, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I always look forward to connecting with you.
If you are a burn survivor and family member and wish to be added to our monthly email, please email info@aarbf.org and indicate your region.
Southern CA Day at the Park
May 14, 2022
Join us for a Day at the Park where you can have fun, eat, play lawn games and spend time with other burn survivors and their families. The event will be held at Valleydale Park in Azusa. You’ll want to be sure to bring lawn chairs, blanket, sun hats and plenty of sunblock! We’ll be at the park from 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM.
Click here to register by April 29, 2022.
Music Expression – Save the Date
April 28, 2022
Follow us on social media for announcements about this month’s Music Expression.
Champ Camp 2022
June 11-18, 2022
The online application will be opening soon. Follow us on social media to watch for announcements!
Champ Camp is a week-long, residential summer camp experience for child burn survivors ages 5-17, who have been treated at California hospitals or are current residents of California.
Champ Camp is free to all burn survivors and it is fully staffed by medical doctors, nurses, program staff, volunteers and counselors – many of whom are also burn unit nurses, burn doctors, adult burn survivors and firefighters. Activities at the camp include fishing, horseback riding, crafts, canoeing, archery, water slides, camp fire, a dance, and team building activities. The main focus of camp is for burn survivors to have fun and just be kids away from medical procedures and financial hardships. Camp provides a safe environment where burn survivors can play, learn, grow, gain self-esteem, and make new friends.
Click here to visit the Champ Camp page.
Woody and Louise Bridge to Life Scholarships
Registration is now open.
The Woody and Louise Reed Bridge to Life Scholarship program provides support to burn survivor and their family members who have been involved in the life of AARBF and need financial aid to pursue an education after high school.
The purpose of this program is to “bridge” the gap between the existing programs AARBF provides for survivors and higher education. The scholarship program provides financial assistance to those survivors seeking education beyond high school, whether it is at a university or technical institution.
To learn if you’re eligible, visit our website at https://www.aarbf.org/project/bridge-to-life-scholarship/ and download the application.
March Survivor Events
Southern CA Ski Trip – March 4-6 (registration is closed)
Women’s Empowerment Weekend – March 19-20 (registration closes March 4, 2022)
Champy-On Fundraiser
April 15 – June 10, 2022
In 2021, the teams and generous supporters working together through our three fundraisers, Champy-on, Bows for Dough and Grow Your Stache helped to send 75 kids to Champ Camp! This year we have combined these three fundraising campaigns into on GIANT Champy-On fundraiser!
Create your team today and enjoy some friendly competition with our other Champy-On teams. We will be announcing different challenges throughout the campaign for a chance to win variety of prizes (and bragging rights!), including our first ever – official Champy-On Mascot trophy signed by our kiddos – to our ultimate winner!
Sign up to be our ultimate Champy-On winner today and help us send 50 kids to camp! Register before April 8th to receive an AARBF pin to wear throughout the campaign to get the conversation started. Our registration page has officially gone live and you can register here, https://p2p.onecause.com/champyon22
Campaign will run from April 15th – June 10th. Together, we can send 50 kids to Champ Camp!
April Support Groups
Southern California – April 3, 2022 from 1:30pm – 3:30pm. This is an in-person regional support group open to both survivors and their family members. Currently this group is meeting virtually, but will convert back to an in-person group as soon as it is safe to do so. Contact me at mrodriguez@aarbf.org to register.
Caregiver – April 7, 2022 from 7:00pm – 8:30pm. This is an online state-wide support group for family members, care givers and loved ones of burn survivors. This group is closed to burn survivors. To register, please contact Daniel Chacon at dchacon@aarbf.org.
Spanish Speaking – April 19, 2022 from 7:00pm – 8:30pm. This is an online support group specifically designed for Spanish-speaking burn survivors. Contact me at mrodriguez@aarbf.org to register.
Statewide – April 21, 2022 from 7:00pm – 8:30pm. This is an online support group open to both burn survivors and their loved ones throughout California. To register, please contact Daniel Chacon at dchacon@aarbf.org.
Peer Support – Not everyone is comfortable in a group setting, which is why the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation offers one-on-one Peer Support. Peer Support is a power tool for healing from a burn trauma. There is something magical that happens when one survivor sits and shares their experience and healing process with another. Peer support can relieve the feeling of being all alone in your experience. Peer support can come in many forms; a burn survivor talking to another burn survivor, a parent talking to another parent or loved one. This service is not limited to burn survivors. A burn injury can affect the entire family, caregivers and other loved ones. Contact me at mrodriguez@aarbf.org to get started today.
Back to School Support (available upon request) – Contact me at mrodriguez@aarbf.org to learn more about this program.
Featured Videos
AARBF’s Multimedia Resource Library includes tip sheets, videos, stories, and so much more. Video content within the library has been developed by the AARBF Community; including our staff, volunteers, burn survivors and community partners! Below are our featured videos for April!
Follow along with Kelly “Sunflower” Dern as she shows you step-by-step how to paint a sunflower!
Do you feel busy all the time but don’t feel like you’re accomplishing anything? Watch as Jennifer “Jem” Radics-Johnson describes the difference between being productive and simply being busy. She will also provide some easy tips to help get you started.
Yoga is a great way to focus your energy while burning calories. Scott “Poindexter” Mellon will show you some basic movements, along with modifications, to prepare you for our intermediate video.