Community responds to fires in S. Calif.

By Chris O'Connell

Sophomore Ross Nelson woke up one Sunday morning to find that his home of 16 years had burned to the ground. Nelson's home was one of the nearly 3,400 decimated by the Southern California fires.

Last week, firefighters in Southern California contained the wildfires that blazed for nearly two weeks and destroyed nearly 750,000 acres of land. The Associated Press reported that 22 people were killed as a result of the disaster.

Reuters reported that state officials estimate the cost of the wildfires to range anywhere from $2 billion to $10 billion.

Nelson said nearly 350 houses were burned in his Scripps Ranch neighborhood; 20 on his street alone.

Acknowledging the large student population from Southern California, Santa Clara is getting involved with efforts to help wildfire victims. On Oct. 31, Provost Denise Carmody sent a campus-wide e-mail expressing the university's concern and support for students affected by the fires. Carmody also contacted junior Associated Students Senate Chair Andrea Barrack.

Barrack said she was thrilled when Provost Carmody contacted her, and that AS plans to organize fund-raisers for the victims of the fires.

"We hope to start the fund-raisers before the end of the quarter and continue them throughout the rest of the year," said Barrack. The fund-raising effort touched Barrack, as she is a San Diego native from the same neighborhood as Nelson.

"I went home last week," Barrack said. "The house two doors down from me was burned down. It's a miracle my house is still standing."

Barrack said she feels a bit helpless being so far from home, but she hopes that the fund-raisers will offer her and other Santa Clara students the opportunity to help the fire victims.

One on-campus group that decided to pitch in was Santa Clara's music fraternity. Delta Omicron threw a benefit in the Recital Hall Sunday night. Admission was free, but donations went to the Red Cross in support of the San Diego fire victims.

Senior Melinda Becker, a Southern California native, spearheaded the benefit concert.

"I worried about family and friends during the fires," Becker said. "It was a great opportunity to put together a show like this because music brings people together like nothing else can."

Nelson's parents and family friends have visited the site of their old home. They have found little more than porcelain chips and tarnished plaques.

"We're in the rebuilding process right now," Nelson said, "we're trying to recover whatever we can."

Nelson's family lost everything, including photographs, family heirlooms, two automobiles, and a pet bird, but said he Nelson remains hopeful.

"I want people to know that I'm moving through this and that I'm doing a lot better," Nelson said. "My family lost things, and memories were attached to those things, but we have a lifetime to make new memories."

Contact Chris O'Connell at (408) 554-4546 or at coconnell@scu.edu.