While the devastating impacts of the Thomas Fire are beginning to be realized, the Ventura County Community Foundation awarded more than $1 million to Ventura County nonprofits in response to emergency needs as a result of the fire. As the foundation is responding to emergency needs, it will continue to focus on fundraising for mid- to long-term support.

Within the first 24 hours of the Thomas Fire, VCCF committed $477,000 to support relief efforts, making grants to the American Red Cross Central Coast Region for $264,440, the Salvation Army for $160,388 and the Ventura County Community Disaster Relief Fund in the amount of $52,172. Later that same week, the VCCF Board of Directors committed another $200,000 toward overall relief efforts with an emphasis on mid- to long-term support. VCCF funders, the Martin V. and Martha K. Smith Foundation, approved a $100,000 grant to the American Red Cross Central Coast Region.

As fundraising efforts continue, the VCCF board has approved another $305,473 to help address some of the immediate needs of local nonprofit organizations. Grants made include support for the efforts of Help of Ojai for basic needs and family assistance, MICOP for radio antenna replacement and health outreach for farmworkers, Habitat for Humanity for housing assistance for those affected by the fires, FOODShare for transportation and food sorting for shelters, Thomasfirehelp.com which has helped 51,000 individuals connect together and facilitate needs caused by the disaster.

Funds were also awarded to Ventura College Foundation for support of low-income single parents who are students who lost income due to the fire, Rubicon Theatre for mandatory cleaning in response to the Thomas Fire, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme to cover increased costs of childcare due to school closures, Center for Nonprofit Leadership to cover the costs of convening nonprofit organizations to enhance collaboration during the recovery period, Humane Society of Ventura County to cover vet bills and staff supplies as a result of the Thomas Fire, and the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation to cover dog boarding expenses and clean-up efforts from the Thomas Fire.

“Our local nonprofits are on the front lines of relief and recover efforts. Their resources are strained and staff stressed as they provide an increased level of critical services across the county,” said Vanessa Bechtel, CEO of the VCCF.

All donations to the VCCF Sudden and Urgent Needs Fund are directly applied 100 percent to supporting nonprofits who are providing direct services to those impacted by the fires. Donations to the fund can be made at www.vccf.org. In addition, the VCCF is accepting applications for the SUN Fund (Sudden and Urgent Needs), with roughly $50,000 left to award. Applications can be downloaded directly from their website, www.vccf.org.

The foundation was established in 1987 and endeavors to build philanthropy in the region and to give generously for the well-being of all in Ventura County. VCCF invests in the future through scholarships, grant making and collaborative partnerships. For more information or to donate, visit www.vccf.org.

by Jill Forman                To volunteer with the Red Cross: redcross.org/volunteer.

“Welcome to the ‘Amazon of Hope,” says the sign above the makeshift desk in a deserted ex-bus barn in downtown Ventura, now filled with bags and boxes and pallet of donations. The community had come forward and given food, toiletries, paper goods, clothing, water and so on.

And the trucks and cars keep rolling in, with thousands more items to be downloaded, sorted, and distributed. It is an incredible sight. Red Cross personnel from all over the USA, along with community volunteers, work continually to handle this outpouring.

I had spent Saturday at Orientation the Red Cross headquarters in Camarillo, then stayed there to field phone calls, talk to folks coming in the front door, run errands, whatever needed doing. Sunday things were quieter in the office, and we heard that this collection and distribution center was open and desperately needing help. So I signed up. The Red Cross has an amazingly efficient computer system for volunteers, letting them know what is needed and allowing them to sign up online.

After a brief morning meeting, we get to work. And work we do. In addition to the donation management, clients start coming in needing items. Yours truly ended up running that end of things for the next three days. Clients come in, fill out a list, then wait for the “pickers” to find their items. We give the folks snacks and water, try to find things to entertain their children, and talk to them.

The Red Cross personnel are incredibly patient with us “newbies,” smiling, giving us positive feedback and thanks at every turn. I have never felt so valued. And the community volunteers, they are amazing; working whatever hours they can manage, taking time off from their jobs, filling their school vacations with helping others. Pretty much everyone was on their feet, walking around the warehouse, lifting, sorting, doing some hard physical labor for up to 8-9 hours at a time.

We get fed every day also by local restaurants. One day it was a gorgeous spread by Command Performance Catering, another was from Mai’s Café. I was unable to find out the names of the restaurant or group that put on the taco bar, or the one that gave us bag lunches with sandwiches and the best soup ever. And people show up with trays of cookies and bags of fruit. I was sorting a pile of donations and found a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies perched on top. Whoever you are, thanks, they were delicious (and yes, I shared them.)

I obviously could go on and on, but just trying to give an idea of what it is like to be a part of something, a little piece of helping out in this difficult time. Most of us can’t fight a fire, or rebuild a house, or give a home to a burnt-out family. But almost everyone has something to give. The people at the collection and distribution center are giving their time, their hard work and their hearts to this part of the effort. This has been a significant time in my life.

Volunteer Marla Randall and her two granddaughters with helping by walking a “dobie”.

by Mira Reverente

The Thomas Fire images are heartbreaking. The figures are staggering. The loss of property is astounding. At least 972 structures destroyed and 258 damaged. As of this writing, the fires have burned through 242,500 acres and is 30% contained.

Everyone processes these losses and destruction differently, but there are a few things that can be done. If you take a look below, you can help. You can make a difference in a small but impactful way. We found five places around town and volunteered at a couple. For sure, there are more not mentioned below that could use your help.

For some of these places, it’s highly recommended to visit their Facebook pages first for more updated info or to sign up quickly for volunteer shifts.

Take action and take your pick.

Source: http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents/incidentdetails/Index/1922

American Red Cross, Ventura

No matter what your interest or availability is, there’s bound to be an opportunity for you at the Red Cross donation center at 194 Junipero St. or at the shelter at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

The process to sign up online was easy. I also attended a two-hour volunteer orientation in Camarillo, prior to helping sort donations. The need for helping hands is great. You’ll meet a lot of friendly, big-hearted, like-minded folks. If you are a hands-on person, this is for you.

Greatest needs: volunteers to help sort donations and man the shelter

Website: www.redcross.org/volunteer/become-a-volunteer#step1

Dobies and Little Paws Rescue, Fillmore

Let’s not forget our furry friends who are also going through stress and anxiety during these uncertain times. When my group showed up, there were dozens of doggies that were evacuated and needed to be walked. My furry pal took a long time to get “warmed up” but then cozied up to me and didn’t want to leave my side after a 45-minute walk. Warning: if you are a dog lover, you will get attached.

Greatest needs: dog walkers, blankets, towels

Website: www.DobiesandLittlePawsRescue.org

Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center (SPARC)

Over 100 dogs are also in dire need of walks at this no-kill shelter. Volunteer orientation is required. Call for the updated schedule. Again, animal lovers, be prepared to get those heartstrings tugged.

Greatest needs: dog walkers, blankets, towels

Website: santapaulaarc.org

World Central Kitchen, Ventura and Santa Barbara

This is ideal for those who like to be involved in mass meal preparation and delivery. When I clicked on the volunteer sign-up link from their Facebook page, several shifts were still open at their kitchens in Ventura and Santa Barbara. With over 2,000+ meals being prepped every day, they could use your help.

Greatest needs: volunteers to prepare, distribute and deliver meals to first responders, shelters and children at the Boys and Girls Clubs

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldCentralKitchenThomasFire/

Website: www.worldcentralkitchen.org

Ventura Recovery Coalition

A new grassroots coalition of 20+ non-profit groups aimed at accommodating specific community needs and matching those with available resources. VRC is currently in the process of organizing a centralized volunteer network to assist in recovery efforts.

Fill out this form to volunteer: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfUpSzxgjeq-DSRrSCnlWA0Bh2TGFV5jdKTW3iL1GlcBStkAg/viewform

Greatest needs: varies

Website: unknown

Also, for updated fire info and ongoing volunteer needs, search for and join Thomas Fire Info on Facebook.

Paleontologist Dr. Jonathan Hoffman led the team of volunteers.

A fossil of an extinct species of sea cow was discovered on Santa Rosa Island, a new find for the Channel Islands and conceivably one of the oldest of its kind on the west coast of North America with an estimated age between 20-25 million years ago.

Scientists think that the fossilized remains of a skull and partially articulated rib cage may represent a new species of sea cow, an ancient relative of dugongs known as sirenians. They anticipate this to be confirmed when the skull is analyzed by Dr. Jorge Velez-Juarbe, a marine mammal taxonomic expert at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

The discovery was made by United States Geologic Survey (USGS) scientists Scott Minor and Kevin Schmidt as they were mapping faults on the island on July 17, 2017.

A team of volunteers led by paleontologist Dr. Jonathan Hoffman with the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History are protecting the specimen for the upcoming winter and planning for an excavation next spring or early summer.

“This sea cow may have only been exposed the past few years after being buried for millions of years,” said Hoffman. “It came from a different place and a different time period.”

Scientists believe the sea cow lived in shallow seas when the island’s coastal landscape was situated hundreds of miles south of its current location. The remnants of at least four other sea cow fossils from different individuals were also found in the near vicinity.

The scientific team plans to analyze the sea cow’s skull shape and features to identify its relationship to other sirenians. They hope to find teeth remains, pay dirt used to detect the diet and age of the specimen.

To refine the era in which the sea cow lived, the team has collected marine microfauna fossils (snails, clam shells, and crustacea) within the surrounding rock strata for USGS experts to study.

Sirenians or sea cows are torpedo-shaped aquatic mammals that live in shallow waters and grow to be massive in size, up to 10 feet in length. In some parts of the world their fossil records date back to 50 million years ago.

At one time there were over a dozen different genera of sirenians, a name derived from the mermaids of Greek mythology. The cause of their decline is unclear but may be linked to changes in food availability and environmental and oceanographic conditions.

Their modern relatives include three manatee species and the one remaining direct relative, the dugong, found in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean and the east coast of Africa. The last remaining dugong on the west coast of North America, the Stellar’s sea cow, was hunted to extinction by humans in the 1760s

The Seabin project, a floating debris interception device has come to Ventura Harbor. Installed at the Ventura Isle Marina the device is designed to be installed in the water partially submerged. The device will work in any calm marine environment like marinas, yacht clubs, and ports. The device is placed in specific parts of marinas and ports that are prone to debris problems. The partially submerged device literally vacuums the surface and collects debris and stores the debris in a large capture bag that normally needs to be cleaned twice daily.

The device is designed to make the marina environment cleaner and more environmentally sound by capturing cigarette butts, plastic particles and food wrappers. Each installed Seabin can capture a half ton of debris yearly.

Aaron Cortez films Allison Cabeza from Citrus Glen Elementary with assistance from Principal Susan Martinez.

The City’s Mayor for A Moment series continues with 5th graders Vivian Ryan, from Will Rogers (November) and Allison Cabeza, from Citrus Glen (December). The Mayor for A Moment program is a collaboration with the City, Ventura Unified School District and CAPS Media. Each month teachers and faculty identify an outstanding 5th grader to represent the school. CAPS Media produces an on site profile of the student which includes the young mayor directing a tour of the school. Each Mayor for A Moment presents an original essay at a City council meeting on a topic of importance (caring, kindness, integrity, etc.) and receives recognition from the council including a key to the City. The program continues with a second, more extensive video presented at a VUSD board meeting during the “Good News” segment, and additional recognition of the young mayor and school by the district.

Pacific High School’s AIM project (Ancestry, Immigration and Memories) is in full production at the CAPS Media Center. Working in teams, Pacific students conduct interviews with family members to record and document personal stories and memories. The studio production crews are all Pacific students, operating cameras, audio and lighting gear, and the control room equipment. Coordinated by Pacific High teacher Jesse Barnett, and mentored by CAPS Media educator/instructor Phil Taggart, more than 30 Pacific high students are engaged in the immersive experience of broadcast journalism and media production. The AIM program, similar to the El Camino High School Digital Media Education program at CAPS Media, enables students to receive hands-on instruction in all aspects of studio production and post production, as well develop communication skills including research, storyboarding, writing and interviewing.

2018 is almost here. Consider closing out 2017 or starting the new year by becoming a Member/Producer at CAPS Media. If you are interested or just curious, orientation meetings are held on the first Thursday of every month. HD videography/camera classes are on the 2nd Thursday, Final Cut postproduction editing classes are on the 3rd Thursday, and CAPS Radio (KPPQ, FM 104.1) holds classes on the 4th week. In every training session Member/Producers receive hands-on instruction in videography, video editing, radio production and more. All classes begin at 6pm at the CAPS Media Center, 65 Day Road. Once trained, member/producers may check out CAPS Media’s video cameras, tripods, audio gear and other production equipment to record their story and then book postproduction editing suites to craft the story they want to tell. Details of training and signups are on the website at capsmedia.org/events.

CAPS Media’s mission is to create an engaged and informed community through participation in electronic media. Go to capsmedia.org to see programming schedules, search the archives for past programs, get general info and sign up for classes. Anyone who lives, works or attends school in the city of Ventura may become a Member/Producer. Annual membership fees are only $25 for an individual and $75 for a non-profit organization. CAPS Radio DJs require an additional annual fee of $50. For complete information go to capsmedia.org.