Northern CA Regional Message – December 2022
My name is Scott Wertz and I am the Regional Manager for Northern California. Below is my message to you for the month of December 2022.
Hello Survivors, Supporters and Volunteers!
The Holidays are here and we are so thankful to have you a part of the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation Family. We are so excited to celebrate together at our upcoming Holiday Parties! If you are interested in joining, please reach out as soon as possible. Along with connecting at these events, we hope to support you during this season that can often be stressful for so many of us, please join us for one of the many support groups and reach out for any additional support you may need. One special form of support we are excited to offer is with gifts, the Holiday Parties will both have Santa stores but if you may need some additional help please reach out to me directly and we will try our best to help.
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.
You’re Invited to our Holiday Party
December 11 or 17, 2022
Join us for one of our regional holiday parties!
On December 11th, we’ll be at East Bay Holiday Party at the Frances Albrier Community Center in Berkeley. On December 17th, we’ll be at the SCVMC Holiday Party from 11:00am to 1:00pm. Both events will be a great time to spend with your family and AARBF friends. We’ll have lunch, craft time, presents and pictures with Santa.
Reserve your spot today at:
East Bay Holiday Party: https://forms.gle/5F7YYaQuJSC83aPS8
SCVMC Holiday Party: https://forms.gle/fr9vp1LM2ftoU5Fk7
Deadline to register for East Bay is December 1, 2022 and for SCVMC is December 7, 2022.
AARBF’s Dinner & Dance
December 10, 2022
If you plan to be in the Clovis area, we invite you to join us for the annual Dinner & Dance. Space for this event is limited. Visit our website at https://www.aarbf.org/dinner-and-dance-2022/ to learn more.
Support Groups
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center – December 7, 2022 from 7:00pm – 8:30pm. 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 swertz@aarbf.org to register.
East Bay Burn Survivor – December 14, 2022 from 6:30pm – 8:00pm. This is an in-person regional support group open to both survivors and their family members. Contact me at swertz@aarbf.org to register.
Saint Francis – December 29, 2022 from 11:30am – 1:00pm. 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 swertz@aarbf.org to register.
Caregiver – December 1, 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. Contact me at swertz@aarbf.org to register.
Spanish Speaking – December 20, 2022 from 6:00pm – 7:30pm. This is an online support group specifically designed for Spanish-speaking burn survivors. To register, please contact Daniel Chacon at dchacon@aarbf.org.
Statewide – December 15, 2022 from 7:00pm – 8:30pm. This is an online support group open to both burn survivors and their loved ones throughout California. Contact me at swertz@aarbf.org to register.
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 swertz@aarbf.org to get started today.
Back to School Support (available upon request) – Contact me at swertz@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 July!
AARBF Wellness Team members Jamba and Poppy share ways to help you manage stress and anxiety through breathing.
If you want to try yoga but think your body can’t do the yoga poses, then this video is for you. Our yoga team will show you how to modify the poses to suit your body.