As smoke from the North Bay fires led to keeping students indoors and canceling athletic activities, including football games, local residents sprang into action to help their northern neighbors.
Helping horses
Members of WHOA! (Woodside Horse Owners Association) raised money and collected new and “gently used” horse equipment to help equestrian fire victims.
The Fire Relief Fund for Horses and Livestock has been set up by the Woodside Community Foundation, which is matching donations up to a total of $2,500.
The fund paid to send two truckloads of hay to Santa Rosa and Solano counties late last week.
Go to is.gd/wcf_horse to make an online donation.
Donations of horse equipment and supplies — including buckets, halters, lead ropes, supplements and medicines — can be delivered to the Mounted Patrol grounds at 521 Kings Mountain Road in Woodside.
The Mounted Patrol of San Mateo County’s foundation paid to send more than 250 bales of hay to Napa Valley, where the horsemen’s association is holding 200 horses.
Donations may be sent to: Mounted Patrol Foundation, 521 Kings Mountain Road, Woodside, CA 94062.
Go to is.gd/whoa_help to see an online list of ways to help horses and livestock.
Two horses owned by longtime Woodside residents Judy and Frank Gage, who were forced by the fire to evacuate their home in Santa Rosa, were being boarded at Webb Ranch.
The Gages and Judy’s mother escaped unharmed, but their barn and guest cottage were destroyed, former neighbors say. Their home was spared.
The Horse Park at Woodside is offering to board evacuated horses. Those needing boarding are asked to call the Horse Park’s main office at (650) 851-2140 to arrange stabling.
Needs filled
Several local people, including students and families at the two campuses of Laurel School in Atherton and Menlo Park, donated items that had been requested by fire evacuee shelters.
Seaport Storage, at 1703 E Bayshore Road in Redwood City, was serving as a drop-off point for the requested donations. Drop-off hours are between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.
Among the major needs were: water, Gatorade, medical grade N-95 masks, and dog and cat food. Only new clothing was being accepted.
Local volunteers helped sort the donations before they were picked up by shelter volunteers.
Students raise funds
Menlo-Atherton High School seniors and Menlo Park residents Maria Ornes and Katherine Steere started a GoFundMe campaign after learning that many teachers and students had friends and family affected by the fires.
“We will be using the funds to buy supplies that local organizations have specified as a priority as well as working with the Red Cross and local churches to distribute the supplies,” Ms. Ornes said.
Go to is.gd/alm_fire for a roundup of the latest fire-related information.
