Here we are, coming to an end for 2020. Nearly everyone agrees 2020 sucked. Conservatives lament Trump losing to Biden because they believe that socialism will take over the USA. Yes, it sucks. Liberals lament Trump appointing Supreme Court Justices who they feel will ruin people’s lives. Yep-that sucks. Folks that did not want any sales taxes in Sonoma County got a lot of them. Folks that did want sales taxes wanted a few more “business friendly” candidates to win and they did not. That so sucks! Fire victims have good reason to claim that 2020 sucked. For those working at fire debris cleanup and rebuilding, 2020 doesn’t suck as much for them. Those that have lost jobs say 2020 sucks because of COVID-19. Those that have not lost jobs, say 2020 sucks because of COVID-19 19. Finally-agreement of sorts. It all sucks.
Bottom line-everyone I know is looking forward to the end of 2020.
I remember how bad high school basketball practices sucked under coach Russ Peterich when I was a lot younger. He would turn the thermostat up to 95 degrees in the gym and make us run lines to get us used to the heat. It gave us an advantage over other teams that came to our gym to play. They wilted in the 4th quarter because he kept the heat up so high. It sucked, but we learned to appreciate the suck because it made us stronger.
We learned to EMBRACE THE SUCK!
Look-we have survived fires, floods, drought, power blackouts, pandemic, shelter in place, COVID-19 shutting us down, shutting us in and shutting us out, and yet, we survived. We got challenged in a big way, and we kind of came through it. Most of us still have our health, our families, and our jobs. To be sure there are those that have had it worse than me, and that sucks. Maybe I should reach out to them and help them a bit more. Just like our ECA members have stepped up and done for me. The members have opened their wallets and given the ECA some revenue that was unexpected back in April of 2020. The Auction was a big success. The Golf Tourney was way better for the ECA than we had anticipated. We asked for help, and we got it. In a way, 2020 helped us get stronger. I feel we can survive anything now.
I am thankful for our members. Thankful for what we got through in 2020. I am thankful for Mary and thankful for Cheryl working through tough times and getting things done. I am learning and adapting from the challenges of 2020 and I know a lot of other people are too. Josh and I are starting our planning for ECA’s 2021 and our future is bright. The future does not appear to be suckworthy.
I am going to stop complaining about 2020 and embrace the suck. I am going to roll up my sleeves and help chart a course for the ECA that makes the organization stronger and better for its membership in 2021. I am going to figure out a way to listen better to our membership and make certain we are communicating to our members better than we have. I am energized and motivated from the suckiness of 2020.
Yeah, that’s it.
That’s All Folks!
John
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Fire Cleanup News for Wallbridge, Meyers, and Glass Fires:
The ECA decided to come out with our Newsletter one day early in order to provide information on the wildfire debris cleanup operation which publicly started December 1, 2020. The first step in cleaning up after the fires have been extinguished, is the Household Hazardous Waste sweep done by the California Department of Toxic Substance Control (CDTC). To understand more about the first process that is required prior to private or public fire debris cleanup, the link below explains it-
California Wildfire Cleanup & Recovery in 2020 | Department of Toxic Substances Control
There is a Town Hall virtual meeting to be held at 5pm Tuesday, December 2, 2020 and the information can be found below. If you are a contractor seeking to participate in the publicly assisted wildfire debris cleanup program, Cal Recycle is managing the cleanup and their information is listed below as well. If you have questions regarding what protocols are required for ash removal (regarding Hazwopper certification and PPE), the safety protocols for homeowners, recycling, trucking, and private contractors can be accessed in the link below.
https://socoemergency.org/recover/debris-removal-requirements-after-wildfire/
California Office of Emergency Services has authorized Cal Recycle to administer to the publicly aided fire debris cleanup of the Wallbridge/Meyers/Glass Fires in Sonoma County. The public debris cleanup began yesterday, December 1, 2020. To get the latest information from Cal Recycle on the wildfire debris cleanup, click on this link below-
Wildfire Debris Cleanup and Recovery (ca.gov)
For more specific localized information on wildfire debris cleanup for both homeowners and contractors alike, the Sonoma County Office of Emergency Services has a very good website, and the information can be accessed below-
https://socoemergency.org/recover/glass-wildfire/debris-removal/
There is a virtual own Hall Meeting being held for victims of the Wallbridge and Glass Fires December 2, 2020 at 5pm. Information on how to participate is included in this link—
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Let’s Sway!
Can we sway? I just have to say-with all the technical challenges that a virtual auction presented, we had a great time Saturday night. You did not have to spend a dime to enjoy the experience. And who is responsible for making it so fun? Tom Boylan and Keith Woods. Hands down. Our two guest auctioneers were allowed to “riff” and play off of each other and it was a sight to behold. If you have not seen it, you still can on our YouTube channel by typing in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2HUwRN9y1k. It has not been edited so begin at 13:10!
Thank you to Senator Mike McGuire for giving us a video sendoff that framed the evening so well. Some of the big thanks have to be shared: Mary and Tony Cabrera hosting not one, but three parties at their house-the ECA got three bids of $1,800 each from their generosity! How about Julia Dodge and her husband? They put up two auction items that brought in over $2300 to the ECA. Guess we need to remind ourselves who Rod and Donna Stevenson are right? They were so generous they donated 5 nights in their SF condo and 3 nights at Ft Bragg that generated $5,300 for the ECA. Thank you Rod and Donna and Stevenson Supply! Can any auction go without acknowledgement of Kevin Ghilotti? Not only did he serve on the Committee and Team Ghilotti was a top sponsor, but he also bid items up and bought a lot of stuff too! Thank you to Ron Palmieri with Syar donated a romantic four-night stay in Carpinteria for 2. The hunters enjoyed bidding on John Serres’s Hog Hunt with Matt Randall the high bidder. PACE Supply donation of the famous Nick’s Cove Getaway was a hit! And BoDean stepped up big time-from donating a Josh Cleaver crab fishing expedition, to bidding on several items, BoDean got it done! Ghilotti Construction not only sponsored, but also donated a fabulous 49er game that is “Top Shelf”, but they also bid on a lot of items and got a few too! And thank you to the ECA Board members for the always favorite Board Wine Replenish your Cellar! RCX will be in good hands with Jim Persons Safety Classes and he included Cal-OSHA COVID-19 Plan, Workplace Exposure Checklist and other Forms to the company that buys the safety training.
But again-from the initial time of the first auction item when we were having technical trouble, Tom Boylan and Keith Woods kept up the energy nonstop. From Keith’s opening salvo to Tom where he “wished Tom was wearing a mask because you are so ugly that the mask would cover half your face”, to Tom’s nonstop chatter about crab “goo” and putting his “balls in the pond” descriptions of auction items, it was comedy at its best. My favorite part was when the two of them paused for a moment and the bids kept coming in, and Keith realized it and said “Tom, maybe we do better if we just shut up for a few minutes”, as he said this, they were both swaying in unison, and I think Tom said- “sure Keith, let’s just sway for a while”. We found ourselves swaying with them at home and we actually belly laughed. The other fave moment for me was when they were auctioning off a wine barrel table made by Donny McEachern donated by Ritchie Bros, and one of them said “Randy Cochran is not going to stop bidding because since he was a little boy, he dreamt of owning a wine barrel table”. I don’t know. Maybe it is just me, but that kind of humor resonates.
I cannot thank Keith and Tom enough. You guys were great!
Thanks to all the volunteers, donors, sponsors, and bidders. Mary was sweating bullets, but Don Mills and his team with Sound Ideas calmly guided us through troubled waters Mary deserves a lot of credit for pulling this virtual auction off as RCX and others bid us right up to the finish line in a successful auction. We had a great time. If you did not join us, please watch the YouTube video and you will see what I am talking about! Good stuff.
Thank you again to our Sponsors!
Team Ghilotti – Platinum Dozer Sponsor
Ghilotti Construction – Platinum Dozer Sponsor & Live
RCX Inc. – Excavator Sponsor
Ghilotti Bros. Inc – Backhoe Sponsor
Northwest General Engineering – Backhoe Sponsor
Soiland Co. Inc – Skid Steer and Roller Sponsor
Engelke Construction – Skid Steer Sponsor
V.Dolan Trucking – Roller Sponsor
Cabrera & Associates – Live Auction Sponsor
Stevenson Supply – Live Auction Sponsor
USI Insurance – Live Auction Sponsor
Boylan Point – Donation
PACE Supply – Live Auction Sponsor
Serres Corporation – Live Auction Sponsor
Syar Industries – Live Auction Sponsor
BoDean – Live Auction Sponsor
Ritchie Bros. – Live Auction Sponsor
