LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Supervisor Rob Brown is leading a fundraising effort to make sure that children in the Konocti Unified School District who lost everything in the Clayton fire have what they need as they head back to school.
The district's schools were delayed by a week in starting the new school year because of the Clayton fire, which damaged some school facilities in Lower Lake.
Konocti Unified's schools in Clearlake and Clearlake Oaks returned to session on Monday. Lower Lake schools opened for the school year on Tuesday, with firefighters and deputies there to greet them as they arrived for classes, along with therapy dogs Dinah and Eddie and their human, Mike Curran.
Brown, who chairs the Board of Supervisors this year and is acting as co-recovery coordinator with County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson, said he's worked with the district to identify how many of its students lost everything in the Clayton fire.
He said that number totals 54 children.
Brown decided to organize a shopping trip for those children at Walmart in Clearlake at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
He said he contacted Russ Cremer of the Lake Area Rotary Club Association, or LARCA, which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in response to last summer's wildland fires and is now turning its efforts toward the Clayton fire.
LARCA immediately stepped up to contribute $10,000 toward the effort, Brown said.
Brown set a goal of raising another $10,000 himself by noon on Wednesday to support the shopping trip.
He said he wants to give the children a chance to go and pick for themselves the new clothes and shoes they want – and need – for school.
In addition, Brown said Lake County Fair Chief Executive Officer Debbie Strickler will be at Walmart on Wednesday to give the children tickets for the upcoming fair and for rides on the midway.
On Tuesday evening, just hours after he announced the trip and his fundraiser, Brown said help already was pouring in from residents around Lake County.
Even so, he wasn't letting up with his outreach, as he said any additional funds can go to help other needs that arise for the fire survivors.
“We're just trying to meet needs as we go along,” he said.
For those who would like to help, call Brown at 707-349-2628 or private message him via text or on Facebook. Checks in any amount can be made out directly to Walmart.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Supervisor Brown leads fundraising effort to help students impacted by Clayton fire
- Elizabeth Larson
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