LAKE ISABELLA, Calif. (KERO — Many community groups shuttled supplies up to Lake Isabella, while the Local Assistance Center opened to help answer questions for those affected by the fire.
- A donation drive, turned supply run, started by Missing Smile and Kern County Outreach gained traction in the Bakersfield area and turned into several trucks and trailers full of food, water, and other supplies for people affected by the Borel Fire. The group met near the mouth of the canyon before caravanning up to the Calvary Baptist Church in Lake Isabella where the supplies were divided up to go to families affected in the region.
- Around the corner at the Kern River Valley Senior Center, the Local Assistance Center opened with resources available from state, county, and local agencies and non-profits. Harold Armet said he was thankful for those who donated their time and goods to those impacted. Vincent P. Cordova said he lost over 100 acres of land and many buildings in the fire, and he's hopeful that those working in the LAC are compassionate to people like him who had their live upended by the disaster.
- The LAC is open in the Senior Center at 6401 Lake Isabella Blvd. until Tuesday, Aug. 12 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Sam Hoyle your neighborhood reporter in Lake Isabella, the Local assistance center for those affected by the Borel Fire is officially open, it will run until Tuesday from 10 am to 7 pm each day. State county and local organizations and non-profits all inside the senior center right behind me ready to help those affected by the Borel fire, but it’s not just those folks helping out wherever they can, as we’ve shown you over the last few weeks, there are community groups that are organizing to help out wherever they can. We’ll start at the Shell on Comanche and 178.
A supply run organized by Missing Smiles and Kern County Outreach got rolling and continued to pick up steam, leading to a plethora of faith-based and volunteer groups coming together to caravan from Bakersfield up to Lake Isabella to drop of water, food, and a variety of other goods to the First Baptist Church in Lake Isabella
Gilbert Gomez one of the volunteers for the supply run, said something like this is important to him and plenty of others because it’s an opportunity to help.
“We want to be able to offer or serve others, that’s what we believe being this small community that we are in Bakersfield so we want to be able to give back to the community and one of the ways that we do that is volunteering our time to be able to do projects like this whether it’s a vehicle parade,” said Gomez.
The supplies brought up by the group will go directly to those affected by the fire.
Just down the street, the Local Assistance Center opened Saturday for people who were displaced.
Harold Armet lives in Havilah and hasn’t been home in two weeks, he said this time has been surreal, but Saturday he’s thankful for everyone who came to help those in need.
“I’m grateful for all of these people that are willing to donate stuff for people that need it,” said Armet.
With supplies aplenty across the region for those affected, there are a variety of resources for those trying to pick up the pieces of what was. Vincent P. Cordova was at the L-A-C trying to get answers and direction on what to do with his 100+ acres and several homes in the valley that were leveled by the fire.
“I'm hoping that I can get somebody in there that's got compassion for what I have lost,” said Cordova. “Some of the things that were lost were family heirlooms from my parents, which have passed. But I don't know, as far as the resources, who's – who's going to be available, you know, I like to get somebody in there to do an assessment, and maybe two or three assessments and decide what they're going to do.”
The Local Assistance Center for those affected by the Borel fire is open until Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and to learn about any of the community groups that have been helping out up here across the last several weeks, you can stay up to date with our coverage on turnto23.com. In Lake Isabella, I’m Sam Hoyle, your neighborhood reporter.
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