We have some serious fire issues here in San Diego today. We have seven major fires here with 45 to 55 mile winds. 250,000 people have been evacuated. Many homes and businesses have been lost, due to the winds the fires are spreading at an alarming rate.
San Diego County is on emergency status by the state and federal government, and it is far from over. They cannot contain the fires because of the winds. And evacuations are on-going. And more communities are being burned to the ground.
As well they have a big fire 100 miles north of us in Los Angeles, Topanga Cannon; many celebrities have lost their homes.
The area I live in is safe, downtown. But there maybe nothing left outside of downtown, all hell is breaking lose.
They have opened up the football stadium for people that are now homeless as well as several high schools that are in safe zones.
I am going to the stadium and volunteer to help out; I know that they are short staffed.
************
We have seven fires burning out of control because of the winds. 250,000+ people have been evacuated, and the National Guard has been called in.
I went down to the stadium and helped issue supplies to the people there. I had my name placed on the call in list if they get short of help, many, many people showed-up to help.
Even the military is flying in supplies for the displaced people.
According to the news there is 1,000 fire trucks headed to San Diego with their crews from Arizona, Nevada and Northern California. They cannot attempt to fight the fires until the Santa Anna winds die down. The winds are approximately 55 mph.
Many homes and small communities have been destroyed to day. They had to evacuate a major hospital today as well.
In the recent past, San Diego--which was growing towards its present size of around seven million people--decided that it was going to give itself an extreme makeover and re-market itself as a great place to live along with being a major tourist attraction.
This decision was a plus in many ways even though it was a minus for several independent businesses that rented space in buildings that were taken over by the powers-that-be using eminent domain.
People who owned the buildings were, likely, reimbursed at "fair market value" with the only downside being that they had no choice as to whether or not they were selling and for what price.
They would be selling, so they'd might as well get enthused about it.
Those, on the other hand, who rented/leased the space left with nothing but what they had been selling, their own furnishings, etc. They had, due to the inexpensive rents/leases, been able to remain in business and do well.
However, they would find no other affordable property in the area where they could simply start over again--which meant that they were out-of-business.
Many of these Mom & Pop businesses had been owned and operated by several generations of the same family--and it had once been thought that this would be ongoing.
Shortly after Russell and I met (online & phone--although some snail-mail has been added since then, face time still lies ahead), he told me that there were about 2000 homeless teens and children who had migrated to San Diego from many different places--some as far away as the East Coast--(due to a relatively-favorable climate year 'round) because what they were trying to escape was, usually, worse than the prospect of surviving out in the open.
Although there are rare exceptions--and those are, generally, quickly taken care of with supportive people around them while they use a phone card or offered cell-phone to call home, after which arrangements are made for their transportation back there--these 2000 young people aren't Tom Sawyers who leave home because they either don't like the rules, want an adventure, or both.
This kind of a life will grow quickly stale for your Tom and Thomasina Sawyers--who will be MORE than glad to return to curfews, limits on TV/computer time, homework, and staying up no later than ten on school nights after experiencing dodging wild animals (e.g. spiders & snakes), muggers, and pedophiles along with sleeping somewhere that isn't climate-controlled.
Yet, it has been an easy out for so long to choose to assume that these kids are just a bunch of juvenile delinquents.
I don't mean that this is true of everybody, because Russell and others who both have worked with these kids on their own and through a local shelter, church groups, etc. show that there ARE people out there who have a clue.
Quite likely, there have more than those people in the area who have a clue--and would like to help but don't know where to begin. Or else, they're just too overwhelmed with their own problems to allow themselves to think about this issue. They might each be thinking, "There's just too many of them, and I'm just one person!"
But, for some reason, while there are stories of involvement (such as what happened when Russell made the decision to use some money of which had been partially meant for him to pamper himself to, instead, treat ten kids to a fast-food dinner on Fathers Day 2007 and found everybody from employees to diners extending hands to these special kids--and, Russell, who has had plenty of practice when it comes to not allowing himself to become too emotional due to having to by necessity for several years of his life, couldn't hold back the tears that day!), these seem to be rare to Russell instead of commonplace.
TRAIN OF THOUGHT WONDERFULLY INTERRUPTED!!!
My train of thought has been wonderfully interrupted by two more e-mails from Russell!!!
Because I had lain down to take a nap and had paused in my writing right above the red lettering, this was as far as I had gotten in my thoughts before receiving the two updates from Russell.
However, I have still decided to continue with the train of thought on which my mind was riding at the time that I was writing this earlier, and you will find this at the bottom of Russell's latest two e-mails...
************
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your many emails regarding our out of control fires here in San Diego, California. As of this morning 300,045 plus people have been displaced, neighborhoods are continuing to be evacuated ahead of the fires.
They have estimated that at least 1,000 homes have been destroyed, not counting other structures and businesses. Many areas they cannot get into because of the fires. So these estimates are far from accurate.
The National Guard is here to assist in law enforcement, state and federal agencies are here in force with many resources. We have 14 military tanker planes on the way to San Diego to drop fire retardant.
Our fires have crossed the border into Tijuana Mexico, which is now in control in Tijuana. Mexico has offered to send resources to San Diego.
There are several shelters that have been set-up in safe zones. The biggest one is at the Chargers Stadium. Due to the large number of kids there, I was invited this morning to join the Counseling Team there. I will be there 2:00 - 6:00 PM daily, If not longer depending on the needs of the kids.
I am proud of San Diego’s merchants; they have emptied their shelves and delivered tons of supplies to the stadium. As well pets are being rescued and cared for, and pet food is also available at the stadium, as well as pet supplies.
Many stuffed animals have been delivered for the kids at the stadium, so they will have a friend to hold on to and comfort them.
Invisible Youth Network will be very visible in the recovery efforts, especially in regards to the thousands of kids involved. Our resources will be re-directed to this area. Keep in mind these kids have lost everything.
This has been classified as the worse disaster to ever touchdown in Southern California.
I am personally devastated and very upset with what is going on, so if I do not respond to personal emails for awhile, forgive me I am trying to hold myself together, so I can be of help to these kids.
************
Anyone who wants to watch what is going on in San Diego, you may watch live videos at:
************
TRAIN OF THOUGHT CONTINUES...
I don't want to come across as rubbing the thoughts that I'm about to express in the faces of people who have been through so much already and are due to go through more, but I still believe that it's important to express these thoughts, because they aren't just aimed at the people of that area. Instead, they are aimed at people in general...TRAIN OF THOUGHT CONTINUES...
Before I begin, I would like to requote a part of Russell's next-to-last e-mail...
"I am proud of San Diego’s merchants; they have emptied their shelves and delivered tons of supplies to the stadium. As well pets are being rescued and cared for, and pet food is also available at the stadium, as well as pet supplies.
Now, back to my original thoughts...
I'm taking a risk here in telling you something about Russell, and that is that he can be a grumpy, old man at times--and I can just see him reading this and getting in one of his grumpy, old man moods because I let that cat out of the bag that he can be a grumpy, old man at times.
Well, he has that coming for those times when tells people that I talk too much and would get a lot more done if I didn't spend so much time chit-chatting on Facebook! LOL
Anyway, when I called him on the phone a month or two ago, I found him in one of those moods to where I knew that I couldn't do or say anything right in his eyes.
He soon shared the reason for his foul mood. He had just seen a report on the local news that the estimated number of homeless youth in San Diego and the surrounding area had doubled from the estimated 2000 once reported to an estimated 4000.
He had been expecting that, by that time, IYN would have already been set up to help more of those kids.
I told him that we'd already come a long way in that ten of our kids had already been placed in loving homes and that people were starting to take note of us and send donations to help many others.
"It doesn't happen overnight," I reminded him--to which he replied that, while this was so, it should be happening much faster.
"You guys over at Care2," (referring to those of us who had been put in leadership positions) "should be working harder to get the other members more active."
"We are..."
"Oh no you're not! You're all just doing a bunch of chit-chat--and you're the worst one of all at this..."
Usually, with enough talking things through, I can get to what's bothering Russell at a time like this--and, this time, it was his disappointment that the kids couldn't count on us to do something big for them in October as we had originally planned on doing.
Our original plans had been to have a kind of festival in Balboa Park on the third Saturday in October that would include food (originally, a barbecue but we decided that more like a picnic would work better), games, and entertainment. Then, in December, we would have a Christmas party for them.
The object of these occasions was at least threefold:
1. Give homeless kids in the area the chance to have some really good moments in their childhood that they would enjoy in the present and cherish the memories of in the years ahead.
2. Let people of the community get to know them so that they would become more than statistics to them.
3. Encourage donations for their care along with making connections that could result in safe and happy placement of them.
However, he had discovered that it would take at least three or four months in order to get clearance for something like this to take place, so the October festivities were out-of-the-question.
Still, we had Christmas to look forward to--and Russell had decided to look at more private places such as a church or reception hall when it came to venue.
However, he wasn't even sure if this would be something that we'd be able to pull off when the development of our organization was taken into consideration.
Still, he was going to be going out into the community in order to try to generate interest among area businesses, churches, and other organizations.
Russell has told me that, when 911 is called in San Diego to report a fire, every representation of emergency vehicles will rush together to the scene with lights flashing and sirens blaring and howling. That is, there will be at least one police car, one ambulance, and one fire engine, because you never know what you'll find at the scene of the disaster, and they have to be prepared for anything and everything.
There have been many times when we've been talking that those sounds will make it clear up and into Russell's open window on the third floor of his apartment building--and it was during a conversation that we were having late on Sunday night (actually, already the wee hours of Monday morning, Anderson, Indiana time) when I could hear those familiar decibels slicing through the still of the night and drowning out Russell's quietly-playing television while making it necessary for him to raise his voice slightly in order to be heard over the din.
Then, all was quiet once more, and we continued talking about a number of things.
Of course, we talked about IYN, and Russell had a lot of nice things to say about different members of our organization and how they were making a positive difference in the lives of the kids (Yvonne, Dana, and I were among those mentioned in this positive light!).
He did a little grumbling about some things as well, but most of the conversation was upbeat, and we did quite a bit of cutting up, too. I've told Russell that he could be a very successful stand-up comedian if he ever decided to go that route!
Shortly after we met back in January, Russell told me that he was going to say the word "elephant" and see what came to mind.
Of course, I began to picture an elephant and my mind and could describe its characteristics and to remember various things that I'd thought of about an elephant in the past.
He went on to tell me that--even though I hadn't been thinking about elephants before he'd said "elephant"--I could still come up with all sorts of thoughts and memories about elephants once he did.
This showed how miraculous the brain was when it came to storing a limitless number of thoughts and memories until they were needed--after which those thoughts and memories would come to mind.
This past Sunday night/Monday morning, I began talking to Russell while still sitting in my office and looking over things on my computer, but the time came when I just wanted to take the phone into the other room, put my legs and feet up, cover myself with a blanket, and continue talking to Russell from this more comfortable position.
His voice is so soothing that it wouldn't make me unhappy just to drift off to sleep listening to him talk and to awaken to the sound of his voice the next morning.
He told me that he would be going to sleep soon and that Rascal would pick a spot--usually, with his nose tucked under Russell's chin right up against his Adam's apple--and they would lie there all night with Russell's arms wrapped around Rascal.
"Lucky dog!" I responded with a sigh.
Under normal circumstances, the "elephant" called "my October 21-22 conversation with Russell" would have brought back the associations that I mentioned--along with his plans to celebrate his recovery from being under-the-weather with some fresh air and sunshine on the first two days of the new week.
Monday, he had told me, he would be spending part of the day in the border town of San Ysidro visiting the little independently-owned shops with their intriguing merchandise and grabbing a bite to eat somewhere.
On Tuesday, he would be taking the bus out to a very nice location of Hometown Buffet that would not only give him a great all-you-can-eat meal but, also, a ride past lots of beautiful homes and other pleasant scenery.
He had a game plan to arrive when they were still serving breakfast to where he would not only be able to enjoy some great breakfast food but, also, get admitted at the breakfast price--and, then, linger on into lunch!
Yes, those would be the things I would have remembered when I thought about our last telephone conversation--and thoughts of the passing emergency vehicle parade probably wouldn't have even come to mind, had life gone on as normal.
But, obviously, it didn't--and I believe that what we heard in the wee hours of the night were some of the first vehicles called to the scene of what would become part of the after that followed the before...that defining time much like the difference between sunrise and sunset on September 11, 2001 (but, thankfully, with far less loss of life--though even a single casualty is one-too-many).
Since I began writing this tenth chapter of this beautiful, ongoing story, time has passed, and it's now the afternoon of Thursday, October 25.
The last time I checked, the winds had died down and the fires had been put in their place. What is left now is the aftermath--and the future...
One way to turn into a saint is to cross over to the other side, because people are then inclined to want to remember you without your warts.
San Diego--and much of Southern California--went through a kind of death earlier this week.
Like the grandfather clock in that famous song, the clock of business-as-usual "stopped short never to go again" when the San Diego and surrounding area that had been taken for granted just days ago "died."
Many times over, Russell has been touched by those who have reached out along with him to the kids he's trying to help. Still, he wonders--as I also do--why the available help is still not in proportion with the size of the city.
We also wonder why it is that being a vagrant is often equated with being a criminal--even a criminal of felony proportions!
Do you also see the irony in how this story was broadcast only a little over two days before life changed so drastically to where homelessness had more of a personal feel to it instead of something that only happened to "that kind" of people!?!
No matter! We are now on the other side of a turning point going towards the future. Those who still have are giving generously to those who don't still have, and even those who don't still have still seem to have their hopefulness still intact--and, perhaps, even more now than before this happened.
For some reason, disaster--while it can bring out the worst in people--will, often times, bring out the best instead.
Will this feeling of good will, hope, and generosity last?
We can only hope...
I'm going to end here with another e-mail that Russell sent to us yesterday afternoon...
Good Afternoon,
There is a lot going on in my neck of the woods, I will not comment on it other than to say that there is a million plus people that have been evacuated. Futher details is all over the national news.
I worked an earlier shift at the stadium today. They have approximately 10,000 displaced people there. President Bush will be in San Diego, California tomorrow.
In regards to the IYN Christmas Party, as of today we have joined forces with a venture that many of the homeless kids in shelters from Arizona throughout California is planning with some sponsorship from relared agencies. Their Christmas Party. They are all coming together in San Diego on Saturday, December 15, 2007 for the event.
(One paragraph of confidential correspondence to our staff deleted.)
Again I would like to thank you for the many emails that I have received, and the donations that we have received which will go towards our contribution to the Christmas Party for the homeless kids.
Russell T. Hartsaw
Founder & Chairman
Invisible Youth Network
Founder & Chairman
Invisible Youth Network
Russell Online
