Jean Ballou Fire Recovery Fund
Donation protected
Imagine going to sleep at night, like any ordinary night, only to be awoken at 3am and told you must evacuate IMMEDIATELY. There's no time to pack or assess what you should bring. You must leave RIGHT NOW or you will die.
My name is Teri DeLaMontanya. I live in Contra Costa County and work as an RN for John Muir Health. I've spent more than 20 years working in an ER/ trauma center. I have dedicated my career to helping others and in all honesty I am not the best at asking others for help. But the time has come when I feel compelled to reach out to my colleagues, friends and family and ask for your help on behalf of a family member.
My Aunt Jean (Jean Ballou) is one of many people directly impacted by the recent Nothern California fires. Her home was located in Santa Rosa. In the early morning of 10/9 she was alerted by a neighbor that she needed to evacuate. Seconds mattered when my aunt grabbed her purse and headed out the door. She had hoped, of course, that it was all for "just in case" and that her home and all of her possessions would be spared. As my aunt fled from her home and neighborhood, the imminent danger became apparent and she began to worry she might not make it out alive. She could see embers and flames, ash was falling on her car, and the many people trying to leave at once jammed the exit routes making rapid evacuation even more challenging.
Thankfully, my aunt and all her immediate neighbors were safely evacuated and no one lost their life. Many thanks to the fire department, law enforcement personnel, first responders and many brave citizens for their efforts to save lives. No doubt, they made a difference. We know that others from surrounding cities and neighborhoods were not so fortunate as these flames blew through like a hurricane of fire.
Unfortunately, my aunt has lost her home and everything in it. Nothing was spared. My aunt shares with me that one of the most difficult losses is the loss of the keepsakes and possessions that had belonged to my mom. 10 years ago my aunt lost her twin sister (my mom) in a car crash. Since that time, my aunt held close a number of keepsakes and possessions that belonged to her twin sister, Joan. These things can never be replaced.
As my aunt processes this trauma and begins the long healing journey, my goal is to raise some funding to help her rebuild and to show her some love and support. Insurance will help, of course, but it will not cover everything. Imagine everything you would need to replace if you walked out of your house, never to see anything inside again.
If you can spare a few bucks to help my aunt in her healing and rebuilding journey it would be greatly appreciated. Even if you cannot personally contribute, if you could share this with your friends and family it would be greatly appreciated. Every little bit will help. Jean Ballou is the direct beneficiary of the donated funds and will be using the funds to replace items lost in the fire that are not covered by insurance. Thank you and stay safe!

My name is Teri DeLaMontanya. I live in Contra Costa County and work as an RN for John Muir Health. I've spent more than 20 years working in an ER/ trauma center. I have dedicated my career to helping others and in all honesty I am not the best at asking others for help. But the time has come when I feel compelled to reach out to my colleagues, friends and family and ask for your help on behalf of a family member.
My Aunt Jean (Jean Ballou) is one of many people directly impacted by the recent Nothern California fires. Her home was located in Santa Rosa. In the early morning of 10/9 she was alerted by a neighbor that she needed to evacuate. Seconds mattered when my aunt grabbed her purse and headed out the door. She had hoped, of course, that it was all for "just in case" and that her home and all of her possessions would be spared. As my aunt fled from her home and neighborhood, the imminent danger became apparent and she began to worry she might not make it out alive. She could see embers and flames, ash was falling on her car, and the many people trying to leave at once jammed the exit routes making rapid evacuation even more challenging.
Thankfully, my aunt and all her immediate neighbors were safely evacuated and no one lost their life. Many thanks to the fire department, law enforcement personnel, first responders and many brave citizens for their efforts to save lives. No doubt, they made a difference. We know that others from surrounding cities and neighborhoods were not so fortunate as these flames blew through like a hurricane of fire.
Unfortunately, my aunt has lost her home and everything in it. Nothing was spared. My aunt shares with me that one of the most difficult losses is the loss of the keepsakes and possessions that had belonged to my mom. 10 years ago my aunt lost her twin sister (my mom) in a car crash. Since that time, my aunt held close a number of keepsakes and possessions that belonged to her twin sister, Joan. These things can never be replaced.
As my aunt processes this trauma and begins the long healing journey, my goal is to raise some funding to help her rebuild and to show her some love and support. Insurance will help, of course, but it will not cover everything. Imagine everything you would need to replace if you walked out of your house, never to see anything inside again.
If you can spare a few bucks to help my aunt in her healing and rebuilding journey it would be greatly appreciated. Even if you cannot personally contribute, if you could share this with your friends and family it would be greatly appreciated. Every little bit will help. Jean Ballou is the direct beneficiary of the donated funds and will be using the funds to replace items lost in the fire that are not covered by insurance. Thank you and stay safe!
Give $50 to help get this fundraiser to its goal
Organizer and beneficiary
Teri Delamontanya
Organizer
Walnut Creek, CA
Jean Ballou
Beneficiary
