OHSU members, community partners mobilize to fulfill statewide mission

Delivering donations to Phoenix and Talent families devastated by wildfires

By Erin Hoover Barnett September 29, 2020 Medford, Oregon

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Cathy Villagomez, administrative director in the OHSU School of Medicine Deans Office, and her husband hopped in the car Saturday morning to help haul donations when the load was too much for the Garcias to handle on her own. (OHSU/Erin Hoover Barnett)

adidas

Adidas donated 300 pairs of tennis shoes. (OHSU/Leslie Garcia)

four volunteers

From left, Verian Wedeking, outreach program administrator for the OHSU Casey Eye Institute; Leslie Garcia; Marcela Tukarima and Frank Garcia (in the back). (OHSU/Erin Hoover Barnett)

coordinator with microphone

Verian Wedeking, outreach program administrator for the OHSu Casey Eye Institute, explains logistics to the volunteers before families arrive. (OHSU/Erin Hoover Barnett)

list

The lists that volunteers used to collect donated items for the families reflect the essentials of starting over. (OHSU/Erin Hoover Barnett)

wildfire devastation

Whole neighborhoods in the towns of Phoenix, pictured, and Talent, which straddle Oregon 99 just south of Medford, were wiped out by the Almeda Fire. (OHSU/Erin Hoover Barnett)

girl with rabbit

Jaylie, 9, cradles her stuffed rabbit while her father waits for volunteers to collect supplies for their family. (OHSU/Erin Hoover Barnett)

haircut

Lorenzo Perales brought his barber tools and gave haircuts for four straight hours including for Israel, 5. (OHSU/Erin Hoover Barnett)