Good News! Newsletter

The good news page of this website will feature success stories about interaction between human beings creating positive memories that can never be taken away. Previous Issues RECENT RANDOM ACTS GOOD NEWS LETTER Random Ramblings The Random Acts Board of Directors would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped make our First Annual Awards and Dinner Dance such a success. The reviews have been positive with a few suggestions on how to make it better next year. The Castlemont Castleers were fantastic! And, with 250 people in attendance, the word was that the food was great. Brad Pieraldi looked very professional as he handed Mom Green an award from Local 55. MC Melvin Andrews caught the eye of everyone as the Raiderettes escorted him to the stage. He tried to fight them off, but gave in, like the gentleman that he is. Coleen Bell brought the flowers and worked closely with the latest class of new recruits from the Drill Tower who assembled all of the centerpieces. Quite a job by Truckman/Heavy Rescue/Singer Jeff Hillstrom during the meal. A special thank you to Maria Sabatini who put together all the slide shows. A lot of our history in this Department was shown during the meal. The representatives from the US Postal Service spoke highly about the evening and are looking forward to more interaction with the Random Acts program. Mom, Pop, and Sharon Green were really touched by the event, and would like to thank everyone in the OFD for being honored as the Random Acts Citizen of the Year. Donna King was really surprised when she was named the first "No Egos, Badges or Resumes" award winner. We will be posting photos on the website soon. Go to www.ofrandomacts.org. Franklin School Principal Jeanette MacDonald, who received the "Educator of the Year' award from Andrew Huddart of Reuters and James Smith, is looking forward to more Firefighters joining the Random Acts of Reading program at her school. There are just too many individuals to thank. So, most of all, we just want to thank everyone who attended for supporting this event. We did make a profit, and that money is available to our members who choose to make a positive difference in the lives of individuals by creating a Random Act of Kindness. Call us at (510) 597-5034, go to our website, or contact any member of the Board to help. Thanks! Random Acts Requests Be the lookout for potential Random Acts in your district. Please don't hesitate to submit a request for a Random Act if you see a need. Fill out a request form today! Random Acts of Reading One of the easiest ways to get involved with Random Acts and make a difference is to become part of the Random Acts of Reading at Franklin School. Be a positive role model today! If you think education is expensive, try to calculate the cost of ignorance. California ranks 1st in prison spending and 49th in education spending in the United States today. As a volunteer for Random Acts of Reading at Franklin School, you will have the unique opportunity to correct this problem. Please try to attend one of our last 5 reading sessions this school year. All that is required of you is a half-hour of your time and a willingness to make a difference in a child's life. Books are provided for you. However, if you have a favorite children's story that you would like to share with others, bring it along. Please contact Gravy Pockets (FF James Smith) at 16 Engine, "A" Shift if you would like to attend one or more of the following sessions: April 18th May 2nd May 23rd June 13th June 20th Each session will begin at 12:50 PM and will last about 30 minutes. Thanks! Cinco de Mayo Family Fun Run On Sunday, May 12th, 2002 the Oakland A's and Oakland Firefighters Random Acts will be hosting the Second Annual Cinco de Mayo Family Fun Run at the Oakland Coliseum. This is a 5k race open to all - runners, walkers, adults, and kids. Those who attended last year had a blast! Tickets are only $25. All participants will receive a complimentary T-shirt, a delicious lunch, and a free ticket to the afternoon's game starting at 1:05 PM - A's vs. the Toronto Blue Jays. For more info, please contact Frank Tijiboy at 18 Engine/6 Truck, "A" Shift. More details to follow. We will be needing volunteers, so if you are able to help, let Frankie know. All volunteers will receive a free Random Acts T -shirt. 100 runners are needed! Party at Mom's House! A work party is now being formed to install some new windows and to paint Mom and Pop Green's house. The tentative dates will be at the end of April or the start of May. We announced to Mom and Pop Green at the Random Acts Awards and Dinner Dance that they should start choosing colors for the house. Mike Fahey at 3 Engine/ 3, "C" Shift is coordinating the effort. Anyone who like to show up and be a part of this effort should contact Mike. He says that between installing windows, priming and painting, it looks like a three day job. See you there!!! We Need You! Without your help, there will be no Random Acts. So if you see a need in your District for a Random Act (a needy family, a citizen hero, etc.) fill out a request and send it in! Random Acts of Remembrance Light of Lights Candle Lighting Ceremony On March 26th, 2002 at 6:30 PM at the Scottish Rite Center in Oakland a candle lighting ceremony was held to honor the loss and celebrate the lives of those we love who have died. The ceremony included special music performed by the Castlemont Castleers. In this moving ceremony, candles were lit for individuals and groups living with loss. Each participant lit a candle for his or her loved one. As Californians, we have survived multiple disasters - earthquakes, urban firestorms, and the loss of colleagues and friends to violence, disease, and fire. Individuals perform heroic acts of courage during these times. In the aftermath, feelings and reactions can be intense and unpredictable. The light of lights Ceremony brought us all together to heal as individuals and as a community. A special thanks to the Oakland Firefighters Critical incident Stress Management (CISM) Team, Oakland Firefighters Random Acts, and the Centre for Living and Dying who all sponsored this incredibly uplifting event Thanks to all those who attended and remembered. And, thanks also to the Scottish Rite Center for the donation of their facility for this event. Recent Random Acts 4 Engine and 2 Truck surprised Franklin School Principal Jeanette MacDonald during a live Mornings on Two segment when she opened the door on the Engine. Sixty playground balls came rolling out for her and her students. The look on the children's faces said it all. As the firefighters were tossing the balls to the kids, for a brief moment, it was hard to tell them apart! 26 Engine, "B" surprised Castlemont teacher Andre Mouton with a computer system for his after-school mentoring program. His program is helping students find direction and raise their grade levels, Some of his students are homeless and are now moving towards college. If anyone has a computer system to donate to program, please contact a RA board member. Thanks to local 55, the OBFFA, and Random Acts, disadvantaged student singing with the Castleers will be able to go with her fellow singers to a competition in Mexico this Spring. She has been taking care of her terminally ill father, going to school full-time, and singing with the Castleers, too. Together, we are making a positive difference in the lives of individuals through Random Acts!!! Thanks local 55 & OBFFA! Oakland Firefighters Random Acts has been given Apparatus #100. It is a 1967 Van Pelt which has served the OFD well for many years. According to Eldon Parker, it was the first diesel and the last open cab rig the OFD ever purchased. It has been sitting at Station #24 for quite a while and it is off the books. No longer even a spare, it was in danger of being sold off until now. An action plan is being formed and it is our intention to restore this engine as a multi-purpose vehicle. Some of our board members have suggested turning the hose-bed into seating, an on-board sound system with generator, special lighting for parades, and the ability to carry ice cream for kids. The Shop is on board 100% with the project, with mechanics volunteering time to work on the restoration and modifications. Anyone that would like to participate in the creation of this rig with suggestions or to do some hands-on work, please contact any Random Acts Board Member. Our target date for completion is early September. Note this is pending approval of the City Attorney and City Council. Random Acts of Thanks A special thank you to all who helped, participated, donated and supported us in our biggest endeavor yet, the Oakland Firefighters Random Acts First Annual Awards and Dinner Dance. The event was even better than any of us could have imagined, and we wanted to thank those who were so instrumental in our success. We could not have done it without you! Thank you to those individuals and groups who bought tables: The Alisa Anne Ruch Burn Foundation The Vallejo Fire Department International Association of Firefighters Local #55- thanks, Steve! Oakland Black Firefighters Association Express Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling of Santa Rosa The U.S. Postal Service Oakland Fire Department Administration -thanks, Chief! Oakland Police Officers Association OFD Station #4 ("Jurassic Park") Marilyn Morris Neal Family Thank you to the following OFD members who donated items for the silent auction and door prizes: OFD Stations #1 "C", 2 "A", 4 "A", 15 "A", and 22 "A" "B" & "C" Ron Carter Gary Conley Kevin Kennedy Mark Meiers Chris O'Brien Dave Detlefsen Ken Norris Randy Kirchner Gary Shroeder Jim Reis Mike Donner Hans Detlefsen Thank you to the businesses who donated silent auction items and door prizes! Special thanks to those who helped: OFD Color Guard - Lt. Mower, FF Montes, FF To OFD Recruit Class 1-02 The anonymous Firefighter for donating the grand prize to Cabo AI Wraa for making the beautiful awards Maria Sabatini for putting together an awesome slide show Coleen Bell for the wonderful flowers Steve Miguel and his wife for doing a great job on the silent auction Wayne & Ernie for selling t-shirts Random Suggestions? We at Oakland Firefighters Random Acts would like suggestions as to how to make our Second Annual Awards and Dinner Dance an even bigger and better event next year. Please send all your positive suggestions to the Random Acts website (www.ofrandomacts.org). Click on "Contact Us" and we will do our best to make next year's event even better! For those without the internet, please send all suggestions in writing to P .0. Box 18842 Oakland, CA 94619. Thanks in advance for your help. We hope to see even more of you next year! Random Acts is looking for computer systems that we can donate to an after-school program at Castlemont. Also, if you have a car, boat, or RV you would like to donate, Random Acts is set up to receive them as a donation. All donations are tax-deductible. Thanks! Random Acts would like to give a very special thank you to East Bay Blueprint & Supply Co. who performed a Random Act of their own by donating their services so we can bring you Good News!