Champ Camp Attendee Faith with Jester
Photo AARBF
This is a photo of Faith and Jester from the Alisa Ann Ruch Foundation, a non-profit group located in California with the mission of helping kids recover from burns. Not just the physical recovery, but emotional recovery as well. One way in which they help these kids is through a week long ‘Champ Camp’, a special time for kids to be able to ‘just be kids’ with other burn survivors.
Our own South San Francisco Firefighters recently held a concert at the State Theater to raise funds to help with the annual Burn Relay, a progression of firefighters coming up the Peninsula from Moffett Field to San Francisco, stopping by fire stations along the way to pick up donations. Our firefighters raised $2,000 to help with this endeavor.
We now have another opportunity to help these kids. South San Francisco’s Jeremy Silva, an alumni from El Camino High School, is participating in the Grow Your Stache Campaign. Silva has been with the San Francisco Fire Department for the past 8 years and enters this contest every year. “As a firefighter, I have seen up close the devastation fire can do. As a father, I see the need to protect and help every child.”
ECHS alumni, Jeremy Silva, collecting $ to help burn survivors get help they need
To donate to Silva’s campaign click HERE
Donations are tax deductible
The website describes this challenge “Grow Your Stache seeks to utilize the rich history of mustaches in the fire service to help raise money for the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation. Committing to start clean and not shave for six weeks, our growers raise money and awareness for the AARBF while paying tribute to something that used to be part of the firefighters uniform, the mustache. Help us support our local Burn Foundation.”
The Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation was founded in honor, and in memory, of Alisa Ann Ruch who died from her burns. Her parents vowed they would do something to be sure other children were educated about fire prevention, and to help those children who were burn survivors. This year alone 130 children ages 5-16 attended the Champ Camp at the cost of $750 per child.
Says Silva “Medical expenses can easily wipe out a family’s savings and beyond. Most cannot afford to send their child to this week long camp. My goal is to raise at least $1,500 so two children can attend. I look at my own two healthy children and know how lucky we are. Often people do not realize how donations of even $5 and $10 can help achieve these goals.”
When asked what he would want other parents to know, Silva replies “Go to the Alisa Ann Ruch Foundation website, review the tips, teach your children about fire safety. Hug your kids every chance you get. And help support this cause so we can pay it forward and help other kids that are not as lucky.”
Jeremy Silva, ECHS Alumni and SF Firefighter, driving his engine to SSF Fire Station 61 to receive the $2000 check from SSF Firefighters to the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation during the Burn Relay October 2013
To donate to Silva’s campaign click HERE
Donations are tax deductible
