Firefighters from Station 5, 'B' shift, including Charles Lightfoot, Dwight Garcia, John Richardson and Cedric Price, delivered basketballs, yoga mats, school supplies, art & craft supplies, and board games to the Chappell Hayes Health Clinic at McClymonds High School.
On August 8, 2006, Station 20A responded to a two-alarm fire at 1142 - 72nd Avenue. Erika Juarez, her husband Alvaro Maldonado and their 3-month old baby lost all of their possessions, including their home in the fire. Erika and her baby suffered burn injuries and were treated at Saint Francis' Bothin Burn Center in San Francisco.
Random Acts received a request from the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation to assist this family in need, especially with food, clothing and diapers for the baby. Burn survivor Lily Palacios (third from right in photo) of AARBF who is assisting the family, informed Random Acts that the baby also needed a crib. Today, Jim Reis, Nick Sanz, Sherman Jones and Jim Haughy, the fire crew from Station 20A who responded to the fire, delivered a baby crib that they assembled, diapers, and two gift cards to Erika Juarez who has since relocated to 96th Avenue. The crew was more than happy to be able to assist this family after the fire as well as during. They immediately bonded with the baby who didn't even cry.
Oakland Firefighters rode with the Oakland Fire Random Acts Cycling Team in the "Bike Against the Odds" bike ride to raise money for The Breast Cancer Fund. The ride left from and returned to the Lake Merritt Bandstand in Oakland.
When they rode across the finish line, the cyclists were cheered on by the blaring music coming from the newly restored Van Pelt fire engine. Individually and as a team, the Oakland Fire Random Acts Cycling Team helped to raise a total of $1553 for The Breast Cancer Fund. The cyclists had fun riding for a great cause that has personally affected and touched so many. The OFRA Cycling Team wants to make this an annual Random Acts event and encourages other cyclists to join them next year.
Many, many thanks to all who participated.
Clem Singletary is one of those guys who is always helping other people. That didn't seem to make any difference to whomever stole his bicycle near 90th Avenue in East Oakland. Clem, who works at Albertsons on E. 18th Street and is always cheerful and friendly, was noticeably missing from work one day to the fire crew from Station 12A who shops there for groceries every shift. Knowing that Clem's bike had been stolen, they asked Clem's co-workers if he ever got his bike replaced. The co-workers replied that Clem had to call in sick because he didn't have his bike to get to work.
Roy Palatino called Random Acts and asked if we could get a bike for Clem. Later that same day, Chip Baker went to Costco and bought a bicycle and then went to Clem's church on 90th Avenue to deliver the bike to him. When Clem saw the bike he broke down and cried. With tears streaming down his face, he kept repeating over and over again, "I can't believe that anyone would do this for me". See, Clem is one of those guys who's always helping other people and doesn't expect anything in return. Today, Clem's Random Acts of Kindness helping others came back to him full circle.
Clem recently got the full-time position at Albertsons as their official "Greeter" at the front door. They could not have picked a better person for the job. If you ever shop at Albertsons on E. 18th Street in Oakland, you'll probably be greeted by Clem with a smile. Or, just stop by and say, "Hi".
The Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation and the Oakland A's re-created the East Bay Burn Relay at the Oakland Coliseum before the Oakland A's game vs. the Chicago White Sox. Fire Departments including Oakland, Alameda County, Alameda City, Berkeley, Milpitas and Chevron in Richmond brought fire engines to the Coliseum and presented their donation checks to the Burn Foundation. Mimi Sabine and Ashley Erdman of AARBF accepted the checks atop the Van Pelt fire engine which was used as the stage
and podium.
When they rode across the finish line, the cyclists were cheered on by the blaring music coming from the newly restored Van Pelt fire engine. Individually and as a team, the Oakland Fire Random Acts Cycling Team helped to raise a total of $1553 for The Breast Cancer Fund. The cyclists had fun riding for a great cause that has personally affected and touched so many. The OFRA Cycling Team wants to make this an annual Random Acts event and encourages other cyclists to join them next year.
Clem Singletary is one of those guys who is always helping other people. That didn't seem to make any difference to whomever stole his bicycle near 90th Avenue in East Oakland. Clem, who works at Albertsons on E. 18th Street and is always cheerful and friendly, was noticeably missing from work one day to the fire crew from Station 12A who shops there for groceries every shift. Knowing that Clem's bike had been stolen, they asked Clem's co-workers if he ever got his bike replaced. The co-workers replied that Clem had to call in sick because he didn't have his bike to get to work.