Random Acts board member Manny Watson volunteers at "The Lighthouse Mentoring Center" in Antioch. He requested a donation to purchase school supplies for the boys that he mentors. With the help of Random Acts, Manny was able to buy backpacks, dictionaries, notebooks, pencils, pens, rulers and other supplies that the boys will need during the school year.Jeff Painter of the "The Lighthouse Mentoring Center" gives more insight into the organization:
"The Lighthouse Mentoring Center" is a non-profit group home which houses and cares for the needs of adolescent boys from the ages of 6 to 18. Originating in April of 2000 the Lighthouse has been catering to the needs of dozens of young men who, many times through no fault of their own, have been separated from their biological families and have had to be placed in a group living situation. One of our main focuses is on education and helping youth to see the value of gaining a good education to prepare them for their future. Independent living skills are stressed and every effort is made by our staff to see that the boys have what they are going to need now and when they emancipate. We are devoted to "Lighting the Way to Our Children's Future" and our sincere thanks go to the Oakland Fire Department for their generous donation and in helping us to provide our boys with the educational tools to help them on their journey".If you would like to help "The Lighthouse Mentoring Center" you can e-mail Jeff at "pioman2414@comcast.net".
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".
11-year old Abdul Salih was less than a block from his house in West Oakland when he stepped off the curb and was hit by a hit-and-run driver. The accident left him with two broken legs, both fibia shattered.
Abdul was taken to Oakland Childrens Hospital where he underwent almost four hours of surgery and remained hospitalized for a week. CHO found out that Abdul still had to sleep in the same bed with his mother because she did not have the resources to purchase a bed for him. CHO contacted Random Acts and requested a bed for Abdul.
As fated, soon after we received the request from CHO, EMS Director Jean English contacted Random Acts to donate a boy's bedroom set, a sofabed couch, two TV's and computer furniture. Abdul's mother Nahid said she could use it all.
Random Acts board members Geoff Hunter and Manny Watson picked up the furniture. They were met at Abdul's house by Melvin Andrews and the Fire Crew from Station 1, 'B' shift, who had initially responded to the call when Abdul was injured. After the furniture was moved into the house, Jean presented two gift cards to Nahid from Random Acts. Nahid shed tears of joy and expressed her heartfelt thanks to the Oakland Firefighters.
The fire crew at Station 16 'B' shift had responded on a few occasions to the residence of Beverly Berry who lives with her brother who is blind. On one of those occasions they found out that Beverly's wheelchair had been stolen. Beverly, who lives in a second floor apartment, has to be carried down a flight of stairs and placed in her wheelchair that is kept at the bottom of the stairs outside. One day the wheelchair disappeared.
Random Acts received a phone call from Firefighter Sean Brown who asked if we could get Beverly a new wheelchair. Random Acts contacted the Wheelchair Foundation which is located in the Blackhawk Auto Museum in Danville, California and has distributed over half a million wheelchairs to disabled people worldwide. They had one to give us, and the crew assembled it at the fire station.
The day the fire crew went to deliver the wheelchair to Beverly, she was not in the best of health and was not able to get up from the couch to sit in it and try it out. But, she was very grateful and thanked the crew who visited. Beverly has family members who come by to assist her, and they will be able to carry the wheelchair and her downstairs to take her for a ride.
Lt. Chris Landry and Station 13 presented a check for $500 to the Patten Academy Athletic Department to help purchase boys basketball uniforms. Accepting the check is Chris Higgenbothem. Also on hand were Joshua Marquez, Thomas Mowrer, Athletic Director Dr. Abraham Ruelas, and Principal Mrs. Sharon Anderson.
Duane Mower submitted the request to Random Acts.
Occasionally, the Firefighters at Station 16, 'B' shift, would stop at Peet's Coffee on Lakeshore Avenue and run into Brenda Lee sitting on the bench outside, taking a break and sipping her morning cup of coffee. Brenda, who lives with her son on 39th Avenue in East Oakland, is rearing to go every morning after breakfast, boards the bus and visits all her favorite places across town. With the help of her aluminum walker she really gets around, and there's no stopping her. So, it was no surprise that when the Firefighters ran into Brenda they noticed that her walker was getting pretty worn out from all wear and tear. They told her they might be able to do something about that and would try to get her a new one.
Firefighter Paramedic Zac Hilton called Random Acts, told us the story of Brenda Lee, and asked if we could get her a new walker. Well, it just so happened that we had recently purchased some new walkers that were on sale so we could have them on hand just in case we received a request such as this one. We were very happy to get Zac's call and to be able to fulfill his request. We made arrangements with her son to have Brenda meet the Firefighters at Peet's Coffee this morning so we could present it to her. Unfortunately, Zac was off work today, but Brenda arrived right on time and was sitting at her usual spot of the bench waiting for the Firefighters to arrive. When the Firefighters rolled out Brenda's brand new, bright shiny red walker on wheels, all the regulars who were packed into Peet's stopped and observed the commotion through the front window, while a crowd gathered out in front to watch the presentation. One woman was so touched by the Random Act of Kindness by the Firefighters that she said she wanted to cry. The fire crew adjusted the walker for Brenda's comfort and gave her a demonstration of how to use the walker safely. Brenda was pretty overwhelmed and speechless by it all, so she just did what came naturally. She broke into a heartfelt song and sang her Thanks to the Firefighters. They were thoroughly entertained, and we could only imagine what a crooner Brenda must have been in her younger days.
So, if you're ever walking by Peet's Coffee and happen to see Brenda Lee sitting at her usual spot on the bench out in front sipping her coffee and guarding her new red walker, stop and say, "Hi Brenda, nice walker". She might even sing you a song.
A Citizen Hero Award was presented at Station 18 'C' shift today to Javier Guerra, who accepted the award with his wife and three children. On March 22, 2006, Javier rescued and helped to evacuate a grandmother and her two grandchildren from a house fire by grabbing them and exiting the house when they were reluctant to leave.
Oakland Childrens Hospital contacted Random Acts with a request for an 11-year old girl whose 5-year sister has cancer and is not expected to live. Their names are being withheld here to protect their privacy. The devoted and adoring older sister has constantly been by the side of her younger sister who has been receiving chemotherapy and radiation for the past two years. In the past few months, her tumor has been progressing and she is not likely to survive for more than a few months. The older sister, who also serves as translator for her Spanish speaking parents, has missed out on many things in the past two years as her family's focus has been on the younger sister. The family has limited resources and is unable to do much to celebrate her upcoming birthday. Recently, when Firefighters from Station 8 "C" shift presented the family with gift cards and toys, the mother was go grateful that tears were streaming down her face.
When nurses at Childrens Hospital decided to throw her a surprise birthday party, they asked the older sister what she wanted. The first thing she said was for her younger sister "to be cured". After her tears stopped, she said "to see her smile". Ultimately, she admitted that she would like an I-Pod. Being a big fan of Tinkerbell, she also wanted a Tinkerball blanket, sheets and pillowcases. Random Acts provided the I-Pod and Tinkerball bedding assessories "Con Mucho Amor de Los Bomberos de Oakland ("With much love from Oakland Firefighters"). Afterward, Random Acts received this e-mail that made our day: "Thanks for the I-Pod and all the birthday presents!!! This was the greatest day of my life!! God bless you. You are nice people. Oh, and thank thank the Firemen, too. Wish you were here!!".
During Christmas 2004, Oakland Firefighters visited the home of Jay Logan to bring presents to his children. Pictured here is his, then 5-year old, daughter loaded with gifts. On July 2, 2006, Jay Logan's 14-year old son, Jaee, was tragically slain while waiting for friends on his way to a barbeque. The loving son and football player was shot in the 800 block of 45th Street.
A year and a half later, we did not forget our initial meeting and visit with Jay Logan. We contacted Lt. Adrian Sheppard at Station 5, 'B' shift, to inquire about the tragic incident, only to learn that Lt. Sheppard is family friends with Jay Logan's family. We wanted to give Jay's, now 7-year old, daughter a bicycle and some toys, so Adrian arranged for Jaee Logan's 25-year old sister to come by Station 5 to pick up the gifts. Majal was very grateful and appreciative for the gifts and expressed her desire to do something to end the senseless violence in the streets of Oakland that is taking the lives of so many young people. Jay Logan has created an organization called S.A.V.O.Y. - STOP ALL VIOLENCE ON YOUTH - an organization dedicated to ending violence on youth in Oakland.
Station 5, 'B' shift, visited a house on 34th Avenue bearing gifts and good will to a family that was involved in a shooting incident one year ago where five people had been shot. The tragic incident, to which the crew had responded, took the life of a woman's nephew and left her to care for his four children in addition to two of her own. Recently, while the same crew responded to a medical incident at another house next door, they encountered this family sitting on their porch still grieving their loss a year later. The Firefighters returned to visit them today bringing toys and sporting equipment for the children and an Albertsons gift card and a cosmetics gift bag for the woman. Regardless of how long it is after an incident occurs, the healing process goes on indefinately.
Station 18, 'A' shift, presented a check for $500 to a woman whose father was killed by a hit-and-run drunk driver on Father's Day, June 18th. The tragic accident occurred on International Blvd and 38th Avenue when the driver of the vehicle, that had been spinning donuts in the street, careened off the curb and drove up on the sidewalk, killing the father who was standing with his son and daughter talking to a man sitting in another vehicle. The son was also injured and taken to the hospital. The father's body was returned to Mexico for burial. This was an emotionally traumatic incident for all involved, and the responding crew presented the gift to the father's daughter to help pay for the burial expenses and to express their condolences and sympathies to the family.
One day a woman walked into Station 18, 'C' shift, to report that her car had been stolen with an infant car seat inside. She told the Firefighters that she did not have the money to replace the car seat although relatives were kind enough to loan her the use of their cars to drive. She asked the Firefighters if they could help her get another car seat. Lt. Carlos Harvey determined that this was a legitimate need and request, so he contacted Random Acts. Together we went shopping with him to purchase a new one. Carlos delivered the infant car seat to the woman's house and he said that she was very thankful to the Firefighters for their help. The car and the infant car seat were never recovered.
On July 9, 2006, two Citizen Hero Awards were presented at Station 18, 'A' shift, to Alejandro and Maria Dolores Duran. On May 10, 2006, a van full of people smashed windows of an AC Transit bus with baseball bats while harrassing a passenger on board. While fleeing, the van crashed into a Toyota Corolla, injuring the driver of the Corolla and a young female child, as well as passengers in the van. Maria Duran used a pair of scissors to cut the seat belt of the driver of the van to free her. Then, when passengers of the van tried to assault the father and child who were in the Corolla, Alejandro and Maria took the father and child into their home to provide a safe refuge until paramedics arrived to take them to the hospital.
The Citizen Hero Awards were presented to Alejandro and Maria Dolores Duran in recognition of their courage and compassion to help those in need while placing themselves in harm's way, and for providing shelter and comfort to those in need of a safe haven. Captain Enrique Padilla and Lieutenant Frank Tijiboy presented the awards at Station 18.
Random Acts board member Manny Watson volunteers at "The Lighthouse Mentoring Center" in Antioch. He requested a donation to purchase school supplies for the boys that he mentors. With the help of Random Acts, Manny was able to buy backpacks, dictionaries, notebooks, pencils, pens, rulers and other supplies that the boys will need during the school year.
"The Lighthouse Mentoring Center" is a non-profit group home which houses and cares for the needs of adolescent boys from the ages of 6 to 18. Originating in April of 2000 the Lighthouse has been catering to the needs of dozens of young men who, many times through no fault of their own, have been separated from their biological families and have had to be placed in a group living situation. One of our main focuses is on education and helping youth to see the value of gaining a good education to prepare them for their future. Independent living skills are stressed and every effort is made by our staff to see that the boys have what they are going to need now and when they emancipate. We are devoted to "Lighting the Way to Our Children's Future" and our sincere thanks go to the Oakland Fire Department for their generous donation and in helping us to provide our boys with the educational tools to help them on their journey".
