Rhonda Fassbender & Robyn Kissler
Donation protected
As many of you have been watching on the news , the woods of Santa Cruz among other places has been under siege from fires.
My oldest childhood friend Rhonda and her partner Robyn had to flee their beloved home since 2005 on 9 acres in the woods of Santa Cruz.
Sadly their story is one of many , but let me tell you of their escape in Robyns words.
“On Tues I came home from work about 330. The air had been filled with smoke and ash for several days, but on that day it seemed even heavier. The sun was a small red ball and everywhere you looked the air was a solid orange haze that you could barely see through. As I walked up on the front deck, a cluster of 3 blackened leaves fell from the sky, they had been close enough to the fire to char before they were carried to the house. I walked through the door and Rhonda said she knew a place on hwy 9 where she could see the fire and did I mind if she went to the overlook and looked. I said of course I didn't mind, and off she went. Awhile later, Lizzie came home and soon after that Rhonda returned. She said she had come home by way of China Grade and Big Basin park and there were 3 small tankers at the top of China Grade. She stopped and spoke with them and they assured her it was just a precaution and the fire wouldn't get that far. She came in and asked if I wanted to drive to the overlook and see it and I said yes. She said she would put Paired crate in the car...just in case...she had a feeling...I left to go look and about 10 minutes from home 8 firetrucks with lights and sirens going blasted past me going the other way. I made a u turn and called home and said I'm coming back because the fire fighters just went up 236. I got home and we got the evacuation warning. We started packing a small suitcases, gathering up dog meds and bowls and leashes, toothbrushes etc. The stuff we would need for a few days. Alternating between the type of terror where you don't feel anything and your brain shuts down, to calmly gathering stuff up. Telling Lizzie to grab the bottle of ibuprophin off the kitchen shelf, to standing and looking around wondering what to do next. Throwing the new clothes I got for my birthday into the suitcase even though they weren't practical. Not even getting dressed because while Rhonda had been gone earlier I changed in to pajamas. We were afraid, and unsure what to take Then they said, GET OUT NOW. We were out of time, no time to think, load the dogs in the car and go with what we had. The fire followed us out.”
They have been unable to go back to the house but have received word that there is nothing left.
They will be going through the process of making claims and hoping to rebuild, but that takes time and in the meantime they have nothing.
We are all going through tough times right now, but if you have even an extra $10 to help them while they sort out accommodations, clothes etc, it would be so appreciated.
My oldest childhood friend Rhonda and her partner Robyn had to flee their beloved home since 2005 on 9 acres in the woods of Santa Cruz.
Sadly their story is one of many , but let me tell you of their escape in Robyns words.
“On Tues I came home from work about 330. The air had been filled with smoke and ash for several days, but on that day it seemed even heavier. The sun was a small red ball and everywhere you looked the air was a solid orange haze that you could barely see through. As I walked up on the front deck, a cluster of 3 blackened leaves fell from the sky, they had been close enough to the fire to char before they were carried to the house. I walked through the door and Rhonda said she knew a place on hwy 9 where she could see the fire and did I mind if she went to the overlook and looked. I said of course I didn't mind, and off she went. Awhile later, Lizzie came home and soon after that Rhonda returned. She said she had come home by way of China Grade and Big Basin park and there were 3 small tankers at the top of China Grade. She stopped and spoke with them and they assured her it was just a precaution and the fire wouldn't get that far. She came in and asked if I wanted to drive to the overlook and see it and I said yes. She said she would put Paired crate in the car...just in case...she had a feeling...I left to go look and about 10 minutes from home 8 firetrucks with lights and sirens going blasted past me going the other way. I made a u turn and called home and said I'm coming back because the fire fighters just went up 236. I got home and we got the evacuation warning. We started packing a small suitcases, gathering up dog meds and bowls and leashes, toothbrushes etc. The stuff we would need for a few days. Alternating between the type of terror where you don't feel anything and your brain shuts down, to calmly gathering stuff up. Telling Lizzie to grab the bottle of ibuprophin off the kitchen shelf, to standing and looking around wondering what to do next. Throwing the new clothes I got for my birthday into the suitcase even though they weren't practical. Not even getting dressed because while Rhonda had been gone earlier I changed in to pajamas. We were afraid, and unsure what to take Then they said, GET OUT NOW. We were out of time, no time to think, load the dogs in the car and go with what we had. The fire followed us out.”
They have been unable to go back to the house but have received word that there is nothing left.
They will be going through the process of making claims and hoping to rebuild, but that takes time and in the meantime they have nothing.
We are all going through tough times right now, but if you have even an extra $10 to help them while they sort out accommodations, clothes etc, it would be so appreciated.
Organizer and beneficiary
Laurie Taylor Boone
Organizer
Redmond, WA
Rhonda Fassbender
Beneficiary
