Like A Rock...
Is community support for Dixie Fire victims
When Correctional Officer Shelby Thompson heard an emergency call had arrived from one of her Correctional Officer brethren from the Dixie Fire area in Northern California, she immediately jumped in ready to help, not realizing her small project would turn into a huge community effort.
The call came from Glen Stailey, California Correctional Peace Officers Association’s union president, relaying a message that help was needed.
“He talked to my husband. We are both correctional officers. They were in need of tents, tarps, sleeping bags,” Thompson said. “People out there were sleeping on the ground at a football field. They had nothing.”
At that same time, Joe and Danielle Trujillo of The Grace Project, a local help ministry, had heard from Mike Anderson, pastor at Rock on the Ridge in Greenville.
A friend in the Dixie Fire area sent Danielle Trujillo before and after photos from the fire.
“My husband called Pastor Mike and he said the fire was minutes away from the church,” Danielle Trujillo said and then shared a photograph on her cell phone. “The next day he called me. The church had been destroyed. I thought he would be sad but he was excited. Everything burned — except the sign. It should have burned or melted it but it didn’t. Pastor Mike said ‘The Word of God still stands.’”
The photo showed a burnt building, the sign, next to the burned church, was untouched.
“The Rock on the Ridge — The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent ye and believe in the Gospel” the sign reads, which carries a drawing of a cross on fire and a dove.
As of Thursday morning, the Dixie Fire, listed as the second largest fire in the history of California, has burned 678,369 acres, destroyed 1,100 buildings, 630 homes, is threatening more than 16,000 structures — and is only 35 percent contained.
“The photo is super powerful,” Thompson said. “That (CCPOA) phone call is how I first learned of the fire. I talked to Pastor Mark (Pitcher) at my church, Porterville Church of the Nazarene and asked if I could start a project through the homeless ministry and he said yes. It (Dixie Project) started small but it is going to be huge.
“We have an amazing church and an amazing church family. Our church helps everybody in the town as far as First Responders. We open our doors to pretty much the whole entire town. Our church family are amazing and they give constantly and always step up to the plate.”
Thompson then met with Jim Coons who runs the Compassion Ministry NMI — Nazarene Missions International, and pitched an idea to him.
“So in the future we are putting together a ‘Work and Witness’ team and we will team up with the Church of the Nazarene in Susanville,” Thompson said. “We would like to go out and help people dig up some of their stuff. We’ll take shovels and gloves.”
Thompson said that plan is tentatively slated for mid October, depending on the fire and when the area is clear and safe to return.
“This is the second largest fire in California, we really don’t know when they will let us in,” Thompson said. “This fire is going to hit a ridge and if it did, we have two prisons in Susanville –—High Desert State Prison and California Correctional Center. We are utilizing these two prisons to distribute our stuff. We want to help them help themselves.”
Her correctional officer brethren are already hurting, she said, because they were first hit by the pandemic, then prison closures, and now the fire.
“It’s hard to staff the prisons because it is Susanville and they are up there all by itself,” Thompson said. “But on September 2, 3, 4 and 5, we will be going up to High Desert and delivering items we have and they will disperse them to the community.”
Partnering with The Grace Project, Thompson and the Trujillos met with the Porterville Area Coordinating Council’s executive director Ryan Land, vice president of the board of directors, Fred Beltran, and board member Frank Olmedo.
“I have a garage full of stuff they donated,” Thompson said. “When you lose everything, it doesn’t matter who’s who. Everybody has the same needs.”
Thompson said they will be taking underwear, flip flops, crisis care kits, hygiene items and water.
“Water is a big thing. I want to take a semi-truck filled with (bottled) water.”
But realistically, a semitruck will have difficulty maneuvering through the charred area. Therefore
the first trip will consist of taking the items plus gift cards, which Thompson believes the community of Porterville will donate.
“We are asking the public for gift cards to Dollar General, Rite Aid and Walmart. We have those here and they have those there,” Thompson said. “Small increments — $5 and $10 are good and can be designated for water at Walmart. Other gift cards can also be $20 to $30 increments to help them meet their immediate needs because they don’t have anything.”
The focus will be on water and gift cards for the first trip.
“We’re not taking a whole lot on the first trip,” Thompson said.
Donations of anything, from monetary donations to gift cards, clothing, food and water will be taken from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at Porterville Church of the Nazarene, 2005 W. Olive Ave. in Porterville. Please
specify they’re for the Dixie Project.
Thompson asks monetary and gift card donations be labeled “Compassion Ministry, Dixie Project” if they’re mailed to the church.
For more information, contact Shelby Thompson through Porterville Church of the Nazarene at 559-7843305.
“I was born here and lived here most of my life.
We have a great town. I truly believe the town will step up and help. I just know they are,” Thompson said, adding by teaming up with the Grace Project, they will do something great together. “The little town of Porterville is going to do something amazing. I will get my semi-truck of water and we’re going to do something and it will be ongoing as we gather more information.”