Christmas In Coffey Park: Fire Victims Treated To Holiday Cheer

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Around the world, folks are driving and walking through neighborhoods decked with tons of lights and holiday joy. But for thousands of victims whose homes were nothing but ash after a series of deadly wind-whipped firestorms tore through Santa Rosa and parts of Sonoma, Napa and neighboring Northern California counties in the middle of the night Oct. 8 and into the next day, Oct. 9 — burning some 6,000 homes to the ground — the holidays are not the same this year.

This past weekend, neighbors, volunteers and good Samaritans worked together to fix that by bringing the community out for the holidays in one of the hardest hit areas — Coffey Park, in the northern part of the city of Santa Rosa. Where it was once pitch-dark street after street, block after block, there are now at least 100 Christmas trees perched on otherwise empty lots, many with lights aglow.

Over the weekend, the desolate neighborhood came to life as hundreds, if not thousands of folks came out for some holiday cheer, using the time to catch up with neighbors and allow their children to have some fun.

Ronnie Duvall spearheaded the efforts to get the festivities going, along with others including Glen Ghilotti, owner of Team Ghilotti, a Petaluma-based engineering contractor.

One Sonoma County mom, Meagan Fletcher of Windsor, heard about the celebration and gathered stuffed animals from her children, 2-year-old Samuel and 3-year-old Sophia. Fletcher loaded the toys into the back of her car, then went and bought more stuffed animals, dolls and toy footballs. Once in Coffey Park, she handed them out to the many neighborhood children. One young girl was so excited to receive a Barbie doll that she immediately reached up and gave Fletcher a hug.

All the while, 10 decked-out Volkswagen Bugs from the Sonoma County VW club cruised through the streets — Christmas lights sparkling.

Neighbors enjoyed music and free food. To the delight of children, there was a pile of snow to slide down, courtesy of the Bodega Ice Company.

At one home, a Charlie Brown movie was shown on a big screen.

In the driveway of another home the message "From the Ashes We Will Rise" was written with red-and-white letters.

Other groups who contributed to the community effort were: APM Homes, Home Depot, Peopleready, Kelly-Moore Paints, Mountain Enterprises, Argonaut Constructors, Soiland Company and Big 4, to name a few.

Story and photos by Al Francis/Napasonomaphotos.com