My AARBF experience!

My name is Raquel Cardenas and I have been a burn survivor for fourteen years.  I was introduced to the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation when I was a patient at Shriners Hospital for Children, Los Angeles in 2000, while undergoing reconstructive surgery.

In 2008, I underwent a tissue expander surgery, but I had several complications. Because of the complications, I went through a difficult time with my burns. My surgeon, Dr. Laurant, suggested that I attend the burn survivor support group held at Shriners on Thursdays. At first I actually thought Dr. Laurant was very concerned about my emotional state, so I told him I would go to the support group. When it was time for me to go to support group, I would lie about being tired from therapy and never showed up to the group.

It was the summer of 2008 when I met Margarita Rodriguez, a new staff of the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation. Ms. Margarita from AARBF always managed to see me and invite me to the support group, but I did not want to go. I told Margarita that I was in pain or that it was time for treatment. I actually felt really bad for lying to Margarita afterwards. The truth is I didn’t think that I needed a support group to help me get through my burns. After a year of insistence from Dr. Laurant and Margarita, I finally decided to go to support group. At first I felt out of place but then afterwards my family and I noticed a change in my self esteem and attitude. From that day forward, I anxiously waited for Thursdays so I could attend the support group that I once disliked.

At support group I was re-introduced to the events that are held by the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation like Champ Camp, Young Adult Summit, the Central and Southern CA-Ski Trip and the Holiday party. I had already attended several AARBF events; my first event was Champ Camp in the summer of 2002. Being a part of these events is amazing because I feel like I have grown during every single event. Every time I attend an event I learn something new. For example, at the Young Adult Summit I learned how to change a fuse in my car among many other things. At the Ski Trip, it feels incredible to be able to give back and help others, the way I was helped when I was a young burn survivor. It’s so amazing to see the smiles of the burn survivors, having fun, but most of all I realize that I can accomplish anything and I shouldn’t worry about my burns too much. 

The Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation staff and burn survivors are like my second family. AARBF has helped me to become a better person. If AARBF did not exist I would probably still have challenges with my self esteem. I probably would not be accepting of who I am or be proud to be a burn survivor. The staff of the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation always makes you feel like you are family- you can tell they love what they do and make us burn survivors feel special. AARBF has given me so much love and support in my personal life and as a burn survivor.

The most recent event that I participated in was the Lakers home game at the Staples Center on Sunday, March 3^rd, 2013.  Events like these help me to stay in touch with my AARBF family. That night at the Lakers game I felt connected to the burn survivors of the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation because I got to catch up and I didn’t feel alone or out of place. It feels good to know that you are at this game with family and there is nothing to worry about. You feel confident because everyone makes you feel really good about yourself and they make you feel welcome and appreciated. I truly love the AARBF events and I don’t think that I can say it any other way. I love the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation and everything they do for burn survivors.  AARBF is truly my second family!!

~Raquel     

For Mac

My name is Harry Franklin (a.k.a. Butterbean), and my good friend Buster asked if I would like to write a little something about my involvement in the Burn Foundation. At first, I was a bit skeptical—I’m a little nervous about blogging in public! But the truth is, I would do anything for Buster, and the Burn Foundation.

We are currently recruiting for this year’s CHAMP CAMP, so in the spirit of expressing why we come together to do what we do, I would like to tell the story of how I came to camp, and how it has infinitely changed my life for the better. In doing so, I hope to shift the honor I feel at serving the foundation to the man who brought me in, and serves as my constant inspiration.

I’ve been a Firefighter/Paramedic for the Santa Clara County Fire District for many years, and I’ve had the pleasure to work with many outstanding individuals. Many of them have volunteered for the Burn Foundation over the years; Colonel Sanders, Woodchuck, Cougar, Bogie, Indi, Jack Rabbit, Foxx, Big Foot, to name but a few. As a firefighter, as part of the firefighter’s Local 1165, I was accustom to working with the Foundation in public education and fundraising, but I always looked to the aforementioned firefighters with a certain awe. I vaguely knew they gave up a huge chunk of their time to work with burn injured kids during the summer, and I always had mad respect for them.

At the time, I couldn’t imagine how they were pulling it off. It wasn’t just the time away from work and family—ten days in the middle of June, prime vacation-pick territory!—the idea of working with injured kids scared me. I have kids of my own. I’ve worked with injured kids in the emergency setting, and it was often a stressful and heart-wrenching experience. I feared that I would be too empathetic, too overwhelmed by the tragedy that goes hand-in-hand with serious injury, to do what they did.

Well, I was wrong—about a lot of things.

I had the good fortune to work a few tours of duty with my friend and fellow firefighter, Mark McCormack. Mark had recently been promoted to Captain, and had been given the unenviable job of supervising me for a short period. We were having fun, running calls and cracking jokes, grilling almost every meal, and Mark began telling me stories from Champ Camp. After a while, it was clear he wanted to recruit me as a counselor. He even printed an application and showed me pictures of a bunch of people, kids and adults alike, seemingly having the time of their lives.

I told Mark I would think about it. He assured me, I would love it. In truth, I didn’t know if I could pull it off. I wasn’t sure my ol’ lady would be cool with it. I didn’t think I could get the time off work. I wanted to spend those golden summer weeks with my friends and family, my kids—there were trips, graduations, birthdays. I didn’t think I had anything leftover for things like charity or noble causes—after all, I spent my life in service to my community already, I went to the fundraisers, I supported all the causes. Looking back, I’m not sure if the old me would have turned in that application.

As it happens, my friend, Captain Mark McCormack, was killed in the line of duty while fighting a structure fire, not even three days later. He was struck by live electrical lines, and died instantly. It was not Mac’s first brush with fire. Mac was a burn survivor himself. He burnt his hand as a child and suffered a lifetime of taunts and jabs as a result of his scars.

I now know what Champ Camp meant to Mac. Tears blurred the ink on my application, but I sent it in—and my life has never been the same. I have discovered new things about myself and rekindled my faith in humanity. I have met some of the finest people on earth, and I have been given the opportunity to transform tragedy into wisdom. The kids themselves have shown me hope and joy. I never see their scars, only their smiles and the brightness of their spirits. My family has grown knowing sacrifice to a noble cause, and my daughters itch for the day when they can be counselors themselves.

I thank Mac, and dedicate my service in his name. 

Welcome Back (to School) – How AARBF helped one family get right back into the swing of things

My name is Jennifer and I am the mother of Elise, a recent burn survivor.  On December 24, 2012 we had a horrible accident in our home resulting in my baby girl getting burned on the right side of her face, arm and upper back.  At only 8 years old she has endured (in my opinion) more than her fair share of pain.  This, by far has been the hardest struggle of our lives.  Not to mention how terrified I was for my daughter to return to school…all the questions and stares.  Recently, I met with a wonderful young woman named Bonita who works in the Central California Office of the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation. Speaking with her I learned that she would help re-introduce Elise back to her class as the “NEW ELISE”, by gaining the other children’s compassion while they were yearning to know “what happened?” I was thrilled.  Bonita did a terrific job answering everyone’s questions and still keeping Elise’s comfort in mind.  I especially enjoyed the knowledge that she gave the children about Fire Safety and what to do in case of an emergency.  The “Dragon Tales” story told about a little dragon that got burned and described the details of what burn survivors go through in an age appropriate way. I am very grateful to have had the support system of the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation at such a crucial time in our lives.  I thank you all for your support.  

Nhi Vo: Ellwood & Louise Reed Bridge to Life Scholarship Recipient

In June of 2012, I went home for a week to relax before I headed back to Davis for summer school. The first thing I saw on my dresser was a vanilla envelope addressed to me which had arrived for me some time in May. Inside the package was a letter from the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation, encouraging me to apply for the Ellwood & Louise Reed Bridge to Life Scholarship. I was touched that the foundation was still reaching out to me even though I had not been as involved in the events hosted by it as I used to be.

Happiness and nostalgia surrounded me as I remembered my time at Champ Camp, the Young Adult Summit, and the Fishing Trip. Champ Camp was the most memorable place for me because it was where I learned what it meant to be happy. Before attending the camp, I felt really broken inside. I had a hard time adjusting to the new body full of disfigurements. After realizing that I would never be normal like my peers, I just wanted to be invisible so people did not have to stare at my scars. When I attended Champ Camp, I saw that many of the campers were not wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants to hide their scars like I did. Instead, they accepted their injuries and not let the scars define who they were. Motivated, I decided to put away my cloak of invisibility and started to wear to clothing that signify that I was no longer ashamed of my burns. The activities at camp were also very therapeutic to my healing process. In addition, the camp counselors were also crucial to my metamorphosis. With their love, support, and hugs I was able to grow stronger and to believe in myself.

I am very grateful to know that there are kind people like Mr. Reed, Mrs. Reed, and the Reed family who are passionate about helping people. I would like to acknowledge and thank them for their contribution to the Ellwood and Louise Reed Bridge-to-Life Scholarship to help burn survivors pursue higher education. I agree with their belief that “education can lift anyone to new heights of awareness of success” for I am traveling down that road right now as I attend college. Receiving the scholarship has been such a huge blessing to my life. Instead of worrying about taking out loans and getting a job, I can just focus on being a student. Besides lightening the load off my financial burden, the scholarship allows me to have more time to do more. I am able to take more challenging courses which will bring me closer to my goal of attending nursing school. Also, I am able to participate in a mission team to plan events to benefit the local communities at large.

Overall, I would to express my gratitude to the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation for everything it has done for me and staying in touch with me. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to apply for the scholarship. I cannot wait until the day that I get to come back to Champ Camp as a counselor. But for now, I will continue to work hard in school because I know that there are amazing people who want me to achieve my best.

A Little Girl’s Thoughtful Donation

Hi, my name is Jolene Cappelluti. I am a Firefighter at Templeton Fire Department. On October 11^th, after the Central Coast Fire Chiefs Burn Relay, we returned to our station to clean out our engine before we headed down to San Luis Obispo Farmer’s Market for the Finale. A little girl named Hunter Hopkins came in to our Fire Department with her great-grandmother, Nancy Chapin. Nancy had explained that Hunter wanted to bring some money down to donate and that she thought that they had missed it. Hunter showed me a piggy bank and said that she wanted to give all the money in her piggy bank to the kids who had been burned. When her grandma opened it, I noticed it was filled to the top. Hunter smiled with joy as she poured it into the boot I was holding and had to be helped when pulling out the dollar bills that were stuck inside. I asked her if this was money that she had earned and had been saving. Hunter said, “Yes.” I thanked her and gave her a hug. I promised that I would make sure that the money would be given to AARBF at the Farmer’s Market.

“Hunter has a big heart for others and this is what she wanted to do. Hunter will give money to the homeless and once a month she goes with the church and I to help feed the homeless,” said Nancy, Hunter’s grandmother.

As part of the Burn Relay the local departments visit our local schools for fire prevention week; they participate in “Fill the Boot” but it’s not brought up as part of our fire safety message in the classrooms. I think Hunter understood where the money goes after we stopped at her school on the Burn Relay. I think Hunter is a rare and thoughtful first grader. So rare in fact that when I had asked Nancy, her grandmother, if it would be okay to bring Hunter by our Fire Department along with her piggy bank; Hunter gave us the money that she had already started saving since the burn relay. She is truly an amazing little girl. Nancy told me that Hunter has a grandmother on her father’s side who is a retired firefighter from Camp Roberts. I am so happy that I got to meet such a thoughtful and caring little girl.

Thank you,

Jolene Cappelluti

Christina Min: Ellwood & Louise Reed Bridge to Life Scholarship Recipient

 

I have been a part of AARBF for the past 12 years, Champ Camp for the past 10. Not only does that make me feel like I’m getting old but it also makes me feel extremely lucky.

I never thought that Champ Camp had an impact on me when I was younger, it was just a summer camp to me where we shot arrows and swam in pools. It’s by looking back that I can see that was the point, I learned to be a carefree child. Without even realizing, I stopped caring what others thought of me and it wasn’t just my scars, it was all my self-conscious parts, too. I have to credit AARBF for this, they allowed me to become myself for all hours of the day, 365 days a year. Plus, without seeing my family at Champ Camp, my school year would have been a bust. Camp is what got me through every dreaded school year and chemistry test because I kept thinking, “If I can get through this, it’ll bring me closer to camp.”

Now that I am 19, that doesn’t mean my time with AARBF has stopped. I still plan on attending events for an indefinite amount of time and supporting my camp family. And I know AARBF is still supporting me, especially with the Ellwood & Louise Reed Bridge to Life Scholarship. This scholarship helps me breath easier so I can focus more on my studies and goals at UCSB, rather than working more hours at my two jobs. Right now, I am also trying to save up for my study abroad year at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, so the Bridge to Life Scholarship is also helping me go half way across the world! From studying abroad in college and joining the Peace Corps, I hope to figure out what I want to do with my life, which right now is possibly law or working for a non-profit organization. Wherever my future ends up though, I doubt that I will miss an AARBF event.

-Christina Min

Champ Camp Champions: Bakersfield Firefighters Burn Foundation

Champ Camp welcomed a new champion at this year’s VIP Day on June 13th: Bakersfield Firefighters Burn Foundation (BFBF). Trever Martinusen, a Bakersfield firefighter, has been a driving force behind the Bakersfield Firefighters Burn Foundation’s fundraising efforts to support the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation and Champ Camp. In 2009, BFBF donated $6,000 to send eight burn injured children from Kern County to Champ Camp. In only three years their annual donation has more than doubled to a presentation of $15,000 this summer and new relationships built throughout the community supporting camp.

Trever gets his support from fellow BFBF members like Chris Bowles and Steven Dietz, but the real “hook-up” comes from his best connection – his wife, Shari Martinusen. Shari works at San Joaquin Community Hospital Grossman Burn Center, alongside Darci Combs, forming relationships with many of the Kern County campers who come through the burn center.

BFBF and the Burn Center partnered up with Bakersfield Outback Steakhouse manager, Lori Hart, and employee, Michelle Kroeker, to host Send a Kid to Camp. The luncheon is an easy way to support camp if you’re in the area next May – Outback’s famous Bloomin’ Onions and firefighter servers! Almost as good as the Bachelor Auction!

Trever isn’t the only one with a hook-up! Outback Lori’s husband, Mike Hart, is a veteran news anchor at KERO ABC 23 in Bakersfield who was more than excited to visit Champ Camp for a feature story. His enthusiasm carried over to the news channel’s media company and the Scripps Howard Foundation, for a $1,000 donation to camp!

Mike Hart’s feature on Champ Camp, KERO ABC 23 Bakersfield

Local champions like Trever make Champ Camp possible for burn survivor children to attend Champ Camp at no cost to them or their families. With the Bakersfield Firefighters Burn Foundation, Trever pulled together his resources and shared his love and passion for Champ Camp with his family, friends, colleagues and local businesses. If you’re interested in becoming a champion in your community, whether your goal is to send one camper or 50 to camp, contact Chanda Guerin, AARBF development manager, at (415) 495-7223 or cguerin@aarbf.org, for information and tips on getting started.

Thank you, Trever and to your whole team for making camp possible for 20 Kern County campers in 2012!