Point Dume Residents Association’s donation effort provides fire victims with essential household items
“It all began as Gabrielle Harris’s brainstorm and she got Charlie Solomon involved and then Charlie called me and we were off on a mission!” Candace Bowen explained as she sat amidst a plethora of donated household essentials, all beautifully displayed at the Point Dume Club House so that fire victims could have a helping hand in beginning all over again. The volunteers operated a disaster relief center on Feb. 1 and 2, making sure to check people’s identification to verify they were from a fire-stricken area.
“We saw there was a need and we answered it and spread news about our event through social media. Even when disaster victims are in rental accommodations, they still need all the basic household stuff.” Bowen observed. “Ultimately, they can use it in their new homes after they have rebuilt.”
There were pots and pans, dishes, cups and glasses, towels, sheets and rugs. There were cooking utensils and appliances and laundry hampers. There were even some lovely serving dishes as well as beautiful candles, lamps, picture frames, artwork, and flower vases.
There were some tears shed, with many fire victims being somewhat overwhelmed by the generosity of others and byseeing the basic items one needs to run a household, knowing their home essentials are a thing of the past. There were also many smiles. Most of all, there was a lot of love and a lot of thank yous.
“It was like joy and pain all together at the same time,” Bowen noted. “Some ladies showed us pictures of their burnt-out homes, crying at the sight of them, but also, they were so very grateful.”
When one door closes, another opens
Fire victims came from everywhere, from Pasadena, Altadena, Malibu, and Pacific Palisades. There was a gentleman who shopped for his neighbors who had burnt out, Bowen noted, and many families with children who were delighted to see an array of toys on show.
“It’s amazing how helpful this is,” said Casey Ovsiowitz, whose home was destroyed on Sunset Mesa. “You walk through here and realize that you need all of these everyday items.”
Cole Ovsiowitz chimed in, saying, “Your mind gets fogged up when you’re a victim of a disaster and it’s nice that the ladies who organized this thought ahead for us and realized all that we will need.”
Bowen discussed how other victims reacted.
“One lady saw a crystal bowl that reminded her of a crystal that she was given when she got married, while another was taken with a lamp that had an elephant as it reminded her of a lamp from her childhood,” she said. “Overall, there has been more gratitude than sadness.”
“What I love about Malibu is that we bring our hearts together and we open up our hearts and our purses when people are in need. That includes our business community as reflected by Pavilions kindly donating some food for our volunteers,” Bowen declared. “We know we are blessed here in Malibu and when you bless others, you’re blessed!”
