Help Anita Lawson Who Has Lost Everything In Palisades Fire

Dear friends:

On January 8th, our dear friend, Anita Lawson, lost her home (the pile of ashes pictured), all her belongings, and a Pacific Palisades community that she dearly loved and had called home for more than fifteen years. As is her nature, her first expressions of grief and sadness were for her community, and the many close friends who had also been impacted, many of those also losing their homes in the devastating Palisades Fire, which may have wiped out as much as 50-75% of the entire PP community.

Like many, Anita had little time to think about what to take with her when evacuations were ordered, so she left with a small suitcase, checkbook, credit cards, passport, and just a handful of pictures. No jewelry, no family mementos, nor other things that were dear to her and part of her history and memories. I am among her many, many friends who are eternally grateful that she escaped with her life. But I'm also heartbroken for her, for the pain I know the loss of all of her possessions is causing her, despite her de-emphasizing that in relation to friends and community.

In a bitterly ironic twist of fate, Anita had just accepted an Advancement leadership role at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and was preparing to relocate very soon. She will now be moving to a new job, new home and new place with almost nothing. And as I'm sure everyone can empathize with, it is difficult to imagine not having familiar things around you when all else will be new and unfamiliar.

Anita is amazingly talented and accomplished in her field, and she is one of the "white hats" who has worked in the nonprofit sector her whole career. And while that can be very rewarding in many ways, earning the big-bucks is not one of them. She has worked very hard to rise to very senior roles in her field and also to build her life outside of work. It will not be easy for her to rebuild, but I know she'll rise to the challenge.

This all gives a whole new meaning to providing a proper housewarming for Anita as she embarks on her next chapter. While we, sadly, cannot replace the irreplaceable heirlooms, mementos and meaningful items lost to the fire, I hope that everyone will join me in providing her with the means to get everything she needs to make her new house an actual home, and to get all the other things that will help her feel whole and confident as she moves into her new role and neighborhood.

I have known Anita for more than twenty-six years, before I even moved to Los Angeles. To say that she has been/is one of my very small number of real, true and incredibly dear friends, barely covers how special she is to me. Starting with her helping to make me feel at home and comfortable in a new place, a new job and a new city twenty four years ago when I first arrived. Please join me in making sure she feels the same way now!!

Thank you so much,

Laura Gillette