Random Acts in Action

Random Acts donated 300 water bottles to the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation 2002 Champ Camp, a one-week summer camp for children who have been burned. Oakland firefighters volunteered as camp counselors and helped to build self-esteem and confidence in the children who interact with their peers for a week of fun. Ethel Howard lost everything in a two-alarm apartment fire in West Oakland. She wrote letter to the Oakland Fire Department asking for assistance for her and her three children. The Red Cross found alternative housing near Mom Green, and Mom provided clothing, blankets, food and toiletries. Firefighters from Station 18 delivered the goods to a grateful family. 12 year-old De-Ante Charles (4th from left) had muscular dystrophy and congestive heart failure. He wrote a letter to Santa asking for a digital camera and presents for his two nephews. Firefighters from Station 10 made a surprise visit to deliver the presents. Despite being frail and weak, De-Ante was all smiles as he unwrapped the camera. Sadly, he passed away six months after our visit. Random Acts board member Steve Miguel’s daughter Hannah (3rd from left) gave a Christmas party for the girl scouts and asked everyone to bring a toy for Random Acts. The toys were delivered to needy children in Oakland who wrote letters to Santa. The Books and Balls program at Melrose Elementary School was sponsored by Michael and Dean Meniktas of the Meniktas Group and Riley Etheridge Jr. of Merrill Lynch. The donors were treated to lunch at Station 18 before they participated in the presentation at the school. Firefighters from Station 18 wrote inspiring messages in the books, and when the fire engine doors opened, the 100 balls spilled out onto to the playground. The firefighters from Station 18 played Santa and mail carrier and delivered presents to children who wrote letters to Santa. The letters are answered by postal workers who bought the requested gifts. Imagine the surprise on the children’s faces when they saw a fire engine show up at their house to deliver the presents. Oakland Firefighters are the first as a fire department to join with Operation Yellow Ribbon to send care packages to the troops overseas. 310 boxes were filled with razor blades, toothpaste, stationary and baby wipes. Personal messages were written by individuals, students and children of firefighters. A letter from Oakland Firefighters, with a “Heroes” stamp pin and return envelope attached, was included in each box. To read the letters we received back from the troops click here. Random Acts donated $1000 to students at Oakland Technical High School who were raising money for a trip to Washington D.C. to participate in a program where students from the state capitol are partnered with students from other schools across the country. Engineer Maria Sabatini presented the check to students and teacher. St. Bernard schoolteacher Megan Reese wrote to Random Acts saying, “I want my kids to really have a concrete understanding of what it is like to make a difference and to make their community a better place”. To demonstrate the lesson Megan was trying to teach her students, a fire engine drove onto the playground with sirens blaring during a mock fire drill and delivered books and balls to the screams of many excited children. André Mouton, a teacher at Castlemont High School, started an afterschool mentoring program for students with low grade point averages. Some of the students were homeless. He bought a van to help transport the students and paid money out of his pocket to buy food to feed the students. An Oakland Firefighter heard about it and submitted a request with Random Acts. Two supplies of food were donated to the program until a sponsor could be found. The crew from Station 26B delivered the food. Station 26C presents the second installment of food to Castlemont mentoring program. Combined contributions by Local 55, OBFFA and Random Acts. Children who wrote Letters to Santa had their letters answered by postal workers who bought the presents the children requested. The presents were distributed to nine firehouses. Firefighters played Santa and Mail Carrier and delivered the presents to many happy children who were thrilled that their letters had been answered. The kisses and hugs that the firefighters received were priceless. Firefighters cheer children up at the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation Christmas party at Oakland Children's Hospital. A computer donated to Random Acts was given to Castlemont High's mentoring program along with a printer. The Castleers pose with teacher André Mouton and firefighters from Station 26. Raul Alcala awoke to smoke and flames. Instead of fleeing the house safely, he ran in search of the baby son of his roommate. Raul was caught in an explosion and was burned over 80% of his body. He lost an arm and a leg and suffered sever disfigurement of his face and torso. The baby and his mother died. Raul was invited for lunch at Station 20, and Random Acts presented him with a new backpack and CD player to replace the ones that had been stolen from his wheelchair. Members of the fire department replaced furnishings that were destroyed in the fire. While Jeanette MacDonald, Principal of Franklin Elementary School, was being interviewed on KTVU's Mornings on 2, 4 Engine and 2 Truck drove up with sirens blaring. The reporter asked her what her school needed and lead her to the engine. When she opened the door out rolled 60 playground balls. Yelling "Holy Macaroni", Jeanette couldn't tell the firefighters from the kids. A Random Act of Kindness brought smiles to the children's faces and hugs for the firefighters. We couldn't tell the firefighters from the school children. Oakland A's mascot Stomper posing with firefighters at the Family Fun Run. Station 27C displays T-shirts at the Random Acts booth at the Family Fun Run. Mom Green, Random Acts' Citizen of the Year, asked for cereal. And, boy, did she get cereal. Members of the Oakland Fire Department responded by donating 1000 boxes of cereal. Mom distributed the cereal to various organizations including Mandella House, East Oakland Youth Center, Project Help and Parental Stress Service. GOT MILK??? The members of Station 3 recently helped Random Acts Board Member Madge Gates perform a Random Act of Kindness after one of her young neighbors, a five year-old boy named Tay Tay had his bicycle stolen. Madge sent in a request to Random Acts, and on June 11th, 2002 a new bike was delivered via fire engine to the boy by Madge and her friends at Station 3. Woody adjusted the kid's bike seat, Carlos gave out safety tips, and the crew then donated a helmet and a bike lock for Tay Tay. This is one five year-old who believes in wishes coming true. Nice going to all! Watch out, Evil Knievel! Firefighter Hanns Detlefsen bought books for the students in his class who will be entering the third grade next year. They began the first grade speaking only Spanish and worked very hard to be able to enroll into classrooms with other English speaking students. Hanns (third from left, back row) poses with firefighters who volunteer in the Random Acts of Reading program at Franklin Elementary School.