One805 Presents Check to The Counseling Team International
Tracy Lehr
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif.-One805 fundraising doesn’t just help local first responders, it helps the their colleagues in the communities where they have offered mutual aid..
It is that spirit of that mutual aid that led to a check presentation to benefit The Counseling Team International (TCTI) that is helping Palisades and Eaton Fire first responders.
Nancy K. Bohl-Penrod, Ph.D. said the $62,000 dollars will go a long way.
“We will be able to help out the firefighters, the police officers that were impacted by the fires and I don’t think people realize it is not just about going there and not being able to save a house or a building, it is about the grief that they experience watching people suffer and the sadness that they share, “said Bohl-Penrod, “So, it pulls on their heart strings all the time.”
Bohl Penrod is an expert in the mental health of first responders and the founder of TCTI.
It takes time to recover.
“So, it is not about a structure, it is about what the people lost and how they feel about that because in their world they would like to prevent anyone from going through such pain, so this donation will help them out a lot, to be able to go and relax, have their own time to get some help and be able to process their experience,” said Dr. Bohl-Penrod.
Montecito Fire Chief David Neels who serves as elected President of the Chief Association of Santa Barbara County, said thanks to One805Live! there is still a well funded fund for the wellness of local firefighters and first responders.
“One of the unique things about this funding it that is allows us to go beyond our jurisdictional boundaries, far beyond Santa Barbara County, because a lot of our resources responded to both the Palisades and Eaton Fires,” said Neels.
Local crews can relate.
“We understand when our firefighters came home how impacted they were to see the tragedy that was among those folks that live down there, so allowing these funds to go beyond the borders of our jurisdiction, to help other first responders throughout the state, as well as their families, is a huge thing to be part of, so we are very supportive of One805 and their mission to help others in regards to mental wellness and also serving others,” said Neels.
One805 Chairman/CEO and Co-Founder Kirsten Cavendish Weston Smith has learned a lot about the mutual aid and how the fundraising events are making a difference.
“We had 25 strike teams down there and being able to share some of that money with our friends down south was something that is really special,” said Weston Smith.
She went and saw the devastation.
“I think we all have friends who were impacted down south and we went down to film in Altadena and it was shocking.”
First responders have a say in how the money is spent.
“Obviously mental health is something we have been part of here with first responders, with fire particularly and they are the ones who really wanted to support their fellow first responders down south and really strengthen their program,” said Weston Smith.
During the check presentation, fire chiefs from up and down the coast had a chance to touch base and try to keep cool on a hot day.
They also had a chance to meet City of Santa Barbara Fire Chief Chris Mailes’ new puppy named Betty.
More fundraising is coming up on Saturday, Sept. 20, at the next One805Live! event on Kevin Costner’s property.
“We have a few thousand people and basically, it is a significant time when we raise a lot of money, the chiefs decide where it is going to go afterwards with grants and mental wellness with all first responders is out goal,” said Westin Smith.
The musicians donated their talent this year include Alan Parsons, Trisha Yearwood, and Good Charlotte.
For more information visit https://One805.org