In addition to #FISEFriday, AARBF also introduced a new weekly series called #WellnessWednesday. This new social media series focuses on health and wellness and will include a wide-array of subjects and tools to help you achieve your wellness goals. To make these resources easier to find, we have a created a new section on our website under the Resources tab called Multimedia Resources. Here you will find both downloadable printed materials and videos as well as a handy search feature that will help you find just what you need! Visit: https://www.aarbf.org/resources/ for more details.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook (@alisaannruchburnfoundation) and Instagram (@aarbf) to see announcements when new resources become available on Wellness Wednesday!

We are so thankful to Firefighter Scott “Poindexter” Mellon along with fellow firefighters from the Hanford Fire Department, and students from the Fresno City College (FCC) Class 53 and the College of the Sequoias (COS) Class 21-38 Fire Academies, for continuing to support AARBF even though their event was postponed. These three teams were to have participated in the Fresno Urban Run on Sunday, May 3, in their full turnouts and gear. We may have to wait until the end of June to see them run, but their fundraising efforts were still completed by the original date!

We are so grateful for the three teams for dedicating so much time since the start of the year towards raising money and awareness for AARBF! All together they were able to raise $4,110!!

A special congratulations to FCC Class 53 for being the team to have raised the most this year! You all did an amazing job in raising funds and we could not be more thankful! We look forward to recognizing your class as the winning team during the rescheduled Fresno Urban Run on Sunday, June 28th!

Fundraising coordinator and Firefighter Scott “Poindexter” Mellon had this to say to the participating teams, “our kindness, dedication and hard work shines and makes the fire service proud. Everyone is encouraged to race the Run on June 28th (it’s gonna be hot, turnouts not mandatory!) as each class will be acknowledged during the check presentations at awards.  Thank you so much for being such a blessing to the AARBF!”

We look forward to seeing you all at the Fresno Urban Run on June 28th! We are again so very thankful for your support and dedication.

At AARBF we strive to provide resources to help everyone within the burn community. The burn community includes more than burn survivors, it also includes their family, friends, caregivers, volunteers, first responders, and medical staff. Earlier this year we added an online support group specifically designed for family and caregivers of burn survivors. In May, we added another online group for burn care professionals. This group is for medical professionals, first responders, as well as those working for, or volunteering with, nonprofit groups supporting burn survivors. This online group meets on the second Thursday of each month from 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM and focuses on compassion fatigue and how to support fellow burn care professionals. For more information, please contact Daniel Chacon at 415-495-7223 ext. 18 or [email protected].

The AARBF staff has not let stay-at-home restrictions keep them from educating our communities and fellow burn care professionals. Instead of speaking at local engagements and conferences, we have been sharing our prevention education through webinars.

In May, AARBF hosted two webinars highlighting prevention programs exclusive to AARBF. The first was “Using Behavioral Science in Fire Safety Messaging” explaining the usage of our BeSafe Tool. The second was “Firefighters in Safety Education Program” to introduce this program to fire departments, educators and anyone wishing to learn more about this valuable curriculum for elementary age children.

In addition, as President of the Federation of Burn Foundations, AARBF’s Executive Director, Jennifer Radics-Johnson, helped develop and produce the Federation of Burn Foundation’s “We’re All in This Together: Adapting Burn Prevention and Aftercare Support Amid and Beyond COVID-19” Webinar Series. This Webinar Mini-Series covered:

• Burn Prevention Amid & Beyond COVID-19: Learn about ways organizations are adapting prevention activities and programs from in-person to virtual, as well as tools and platforms available for offering virtual burn prevention.
• Burn Survivor Support Amid & Beyond COVID-19: Learn about ways organizations are adapting survivor support programs, including burn camps and support groups, from in-person to virtual and at-home activities.
• Fundraising and Operational Support Amid & Beyond COVID-19: Learn about ways organizations are adapting fundraising activities and events from in-person to virtual, as well as ways they are restructuring staffing and working conditions.

Be sure to follow our social media pages for future webinars, including “Virtual Fire and Burn Prevention Education Amid COVID-19” on June 18, 2020, 1pm-2pm PST. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-fire-and-burn-prevention-education-tickets-106140705708

On May 21, 2020, AARBF and the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors co-hosted a webinar + roundtable to discuss the effects of COVID-19 on the burn community. Moderated by psychotherapist, burn survivor and AARBF volunteer, James Bosch, it included six panelists covering topics ranging from health risks to changes in family lifestyle.

The panelists included: Rebekah Allely, OTR/L – burn rehab therapist, Bob Aymar – burn survivor. Leslie Aymar – family member, Megan Bronson, PMHCNS-BC – grief + trauma specialist, Cindy Rutter, RN, BSN, associate MFT – psychotherapist + burn survivor, and Haig Yenikomshian, MD – plastic surgeon.

We extend a warm thank you to James and our panelists for sharing their professional expertise, their lived experience, and addressing concerns from participants about living in the time of coronavirus.

Click here to access a recording of this webinar.

There is only a short time left to apply for the Woody and Louise Reed Bridge to Life Scholarship. This scholarship can provide a much-needed boost to help you achieve your goals. But don’t just take our word for it, read what it meant to past recipient, Eduardo Espinoza!

“I recently graduated with a Sociology degree with a Spanish minor from California State University, Northridge or better known as CSUN. I plan to pursue a career in the field of academia and have been admitted to New Mexico State University for the Sociology Master’s program and made the nationally recognized New Mexico State University’s Aggies Cheer team. My career goal is to become a college professor and teach at a 4-year institution. With your generous help, I could achieve a 4.0 GPA my last semester of school and focus on my academics and cheer team.

By awarding me the “Bridge to Life” Scholarship, you have lightened my financial burden which allows me to focus more on the most important aspect of school, learning. Your generosity has inspired me to help others and give back to the community. I hope one day I will be able to give back to Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation and help students achieve their goals just as you have helped me.”

To learn if you’re eligible, visit our website at https://www.aarbf.org/project/bridge-to-life-scholarship/ and download the application. Don’t delay – applications are due by June 28, 2020.

We love our Champ Camp volunteers! When restrictions led us to the difficult decision to modify this year’s in-person camp, we called out to our fabulous volunteers to help create a virtual camp. We were not entirely sure what that camp would look like and the roles everyone would play, but our volunteers rose to the challenge!

Our creative volunteers have spent the weeks leading up to camp making videos, planning the live sessions, and helping to fill boxes of camp supplies which were sent to every camper. As you can see from the photos, they are the most wacky, fun and loving people on this planet! Even though we are far apart our love is always with our campers!

Meet the Johnsons is a children’s book series about fire and burn safety, written by AARBF’s Executive Director, Jennifer Radics-Johnson. This four-part book series follows the Johnson family as they learn to become more fire and burn safe.

The four books have been available as downloadable e-books from our website but we have recently expanded the series to include audio versions and downloadable coloring books! All of these resources are provided at no charge.

Visit our website under the Burn Prevention tab to download these books today!

Activity books and an Educator’s / Parent’s Guide for the book series will be available soon.

June 7-12, 2020: Virtual Champ Camp, contact Daniel “Apollo” Chacon at 415-495-7223 x 18 or [email protected] to register.

June 18: (1:00pm – 2:00pm), Virtual Fire and Burn Prevention Education Amid COVID-19, Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-fire-and-burn-prevention-education-tickets-106140705708

June 19: (3:00pm – 4:00pm), What Now? Meet the Authors Webinar and Live Q&A, Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/what-now-meet-the-authors-webinar-tickets-107124351820

July 1: (6:30pm – 8:00pm), East Bay Burn Online Support Group, contact Scott “Scooter” Wertz at [email protected] or 415-495-7223 x19 to receive log-in information.

July 2: (7:00pm – 8:30pm), Family and Caregiver Online Support Group, contact Daniel “Apollo” Chacon at 415-495-7223 x 18 or [email protected] to receive log-in information.

July 5: (1:30pm – 3:30pm), SoCal Survivors Online Support Group, contact Margarita “Cubby” Rodriguez at [email protected] or 818-848-0223 Ext. 16 to receive log-in information.

July 7: (7:00pm – 8:30pm), Santa Clara Valley Medical Online Support Group, contact Scott “Scooter” Wertz at [email protected] or 415-495-7223 x19 to receive log-in information.

July 8: (6:30pm – 8:00pm), Santa Rosa Online Support Group, contact Scott “Scooter” Wertz at [email protected] or 415-495-7223 x19 to receive log-in information.

July 9: (7:00pm – 8:30pm), Burn Care Professionals Support Group, contact Daniel “Apollo” Chacon at 415-495-7223 x 18 or [email protected] to receive log-in information.

July 14: (6:00pm-7:30pm), Fresno Community Regional Medical Center Online Support Group, contact McKenzie “Bubbles” Dern at [email protected] or 559-286-0710 ext. 15 to receive log-in information.

July 16: (7:00pm – 8:30pm), Online Video Burn Survivor Support Group, contact Daniel “Apollo” Chacon at 415-495-7223 x 18 or [email protected] to receive log-in information.

July 21: Spanish-Speaking Online Burn Survivor Support Group, contact Margarita “Cubby” Rodriguez at [email protected] or 818-848-0223 Ext. 16 to receive log-in information.

July 30: (11:30am – 1:00pm), Saint Francis Online Support Group, contact Scott “Scooter” Wertz at [email protected] or 415-495-7223 x19 to receive log-in information.