Editorial: A lesson from the River Fire: Support each other

Seated outside a charming café in Meadow Vista – appropriately named The Local Café – on a sunny October morning was a petite, lovely lady. "Dale," I yelled much too loudly. "I have to give you a hug." I flung open my arms, not bothering to ask permission. I would love to call Dale Shuttleworth a friend, but that would be presumptuous. Our meetings have been accidental and brief. But when we bumped into each other at events in Colfax and Auburn, we'd smile across a room, maneuver toward each other and exchange a few words. I learned that Dale and her husband, Alan, were educators, she a reading specialist who taught at several grade levels and retired from Rocklin Unified School District. Alan, also a reading specialist, taught fifth grade and was a school principal in New York and California. Alan retired as superintendent at Colfax Elementary School District. He then became a full-time faculty member at Sierra College and retired in 2019. Both have been active after retirement. Dale is active in the Colfax Soroptimist Club. Alan is a member of the Colfax Lions Club, the County Municipal Advisory Council and the Auburn Assistance League Advisory Council. Add photographer for the city of Colfax Monthly Newsletter to the list. I knew the couple lived in Colfax, and when the devastating River Fire exploded Aug. 4, Dale and Alan were among the people I thought about. I asked a mutual friend, Helene, if she knew if the fire had affected them. Helene's response was the reason I was so happy to see Dale outside The Local Café. "How are you?" I asked Dale after our hug. "Better," she said. Shielding her eyes from the sun, she told some of what she and Alan experienced following the River Fire. I stood by her seat, riveted. "Would you be willing to share your experience with others?" I asked. I'd learned a lot and thought others would, too. A minor, but significant fact, was that the jars and boxes sitting on business and community counters, soliciting donations, actually go to those in need. I've dropped in a few coins and cynically wondered if the money reaches the stated recipients. In response to my question to Dale, this email from Alan arrived in my in-box the next day: "Our home of 40 years burned to the ground in the Colfax River Fire in August. We survived but lost everything but the clothes we were wearing, the contents of the car we were driving, and our cat, Dottie. "We always knew organizations have a community heart. To receive help from them directly showed us the size of their hearts. The Red Cross, the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, the Dutch Flat Community Center, the Colfax Baptist Church, the North American Lutheran Church, Auburn Rotary Club, Colfax "Lions and Colfax Soroptimists all were incredibly generous when we needed a financial and emotional boost. "Whenever you see an opportunity to donate to a philanthropic organization, please give them your support. You will be helping a neighbor down the road. "We also knew individuals care a lot, too, but have been touched by the amount of personal support we have received. Photos lost at the fire show up in our mailbox as friends and family make duplicates from their photo collections. Clothing from friends made it to our temporary residence. Meals donated by friends who live hundreds of miles away were delivered to our doorstep. If you know someone in need, find out what concrete help and support you can offer and make it happen. "Many people simply do not know what to say to us regarding the loss of our house. The best response we have received is outstretched arms, soliciting a hug, with no words necessary. "We also have realized that we are not alone in experiencing a tragedy. Families experience losses completely unrelated to our problem and that is simply a part of the human condition. Maybe our most important lesson learned is that we have to actively support each other. When a friend or family member suffers a trauma, we need to temporarily shelve our own personal issues and do what we can to help our family and friends in their time of need. After all, when all is said and done, we are in this mystery of the universe together and need to help each other through its tribulations." I wondered how the Shuttleworths were doing now. "We've leased a home in Meadow Vista and are happy to still be near to our Colfax friends, wrote Alan. Long-range plans are pretty much on hold for now. We're considering lots of possibilities and are confident that our path down the road will be positive. We feel a bit like newlyweds starting out fresh." Pauline Nevins is the author of the memoir "Fudge" The Downs and Ups of a Biracial, Half-Irish British War Baby, and Bonkers for Conkers, a compilation of personal essays. She can be reached at paulinenevins.com.