Student Volunteers Aid In California Wildfire Cleanup Effort 

Release Date: March 29, 2004
Release Number: FNF-04-008

CEDAR GLEN, Calif. -- As college students across the nation put away the books this week and headed to the beach, students from Texas Tech boarded a bus for their annual Spring Break trip to California. But instead of bathing suits, they packed work gloves and hard hats.

The students’ yearly missionary trip took on new meaning this year as they pitched in to help a community devastated by the wildfires that scorched Southern California in October.

Cedar Glen, Calif., was particularly hard hit losing 350 homes during the fires that ultimately consumed over 700,000 acres, destroyed more than 3,600 homes, caused 22 deaths and injured 224 people.

On Monday, March 15, 2004, 20 students from Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University as well as 8 volunteers from Set Free Ministries in Yucaipa, descended upon the small community near Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino Mountains to help remove debris from burned homes.

“This area needs our help,” said Stephanie Wehmeier, a Belleville, Ill. native on her sixth mission trip with the university. “We have a lot of manpower we can offer for a week during spring break and we come free of charge.”

The group has been doing mission work in the Southern California for the last eight years including remodeling inner city churches, but this is the first time helping with disaster relief efforts.

In many cases the chimneys were the only recognizable piece remaining of the homes that once lined the quiet mountain valley.

With a goal of clearing three home sites in two days, the volunteers shoveled ash, piled twisted metal and burned appliances, and even pulled down a chimney to clean up the site so rebuilding can begin.

As the volunteers shoveled ash and debris, they sometimes came across personal items that had survived the fire including a fragile teacup covered in ash, but otherwise undamaged.

“Sometimes you hit something with a shovel and you don’t know what it is,” said Jay Daniel of San Antonio, Texas. “You want to be careful because you know these are somebody’s belongings.”

The discoveries seemed to motivate the volunteers.

“I knew it would take two full days, but I am surprised at how quickly they have this much done,” said Richard Cossman, the county representative supervising the effort. “They really have a desire to help. This is emotionally touching their hearts.”

The volunteers admitted it was tiring work, but stressed that they were glad they chose to spend their spring break helping with the recovery effort.

“It feels really good when you know you are helping to clean up so people can rebuild,” added student Carrie Brazell.

Rebuild San Bernardino County is the long-term recovery committee dedicated to fulfilling the unmet needs of county residents. For further information contact Rebuild San Bernardino County at (909) 886-8749.

Last Modified: Monday, 29-Mar-2004 08:41:52