The student news site of El Camino College

El Camino College The Union

The student news site of El Camino College

El Camino College The Union

The student news site of El Camino College

El Camino College The Union

Professors lose their home in Woolsey Fire, relief fund created

As fires continued to surge across California, many people grew anxious about the safety concerning their lives.

The Woolsey Fire, formed on Nov. 8, has officially been contained as of Sunday, Nov. 25.

However, many people are still missing and many homes and acres of land have been destroyed by the deadly fire that has already killed at least three people.

The fire’s persistence has caused El Camino faculty and staff to evacuate and even lose their own homes to the rising flames.

Currently, two faculty members have lost their homes and one is still red-tagged, Executive Director of the Foundation, Andrea Sala, said.

Psychology professor, Renee Galbavy, and her husband who teaches in the Fine Arts Department, Joe Kabriel, have lost everything to the fire and has had to start over.

“My father built that house from scratch in the ’70s. It was such a beautiful old place,” Galbavy said in an email that was sent to the EC faculty, staff, and administration by Sala. “It has not sunk in yet.”

Sala also sent that email to The Union.

To help, The Foundation has created an El Camino Fire Relief Fund to donate money for the faculty, staff, or students that have been affected by the fire.

“There’s a lot of devastation out there and there’s so much need, but I think being able to give to someone who you work with, and you feel close to you when you have that relationship with someone,” Sala said. “I think that’s why people have been so generous.”

So far, over $5,300 has been donated to the fund.

All donations will be given to any El Camino individual whose homes have been compromised by the fires and anyone can still donate money online, under the ECC Fire Relief Fund.

The Foundation encourages all El Camino students, staff, and faculty to contact them if their homes have been destroyed.

“Any amount is not too small,” Sala said.

To donate, visit the link listed here.

https://www.elcamino.edu/foundation/warrior-fire-relief.aspx

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