Hey folks,
This is a plea for help for my friend and her husband, who were the only two people to receive serious burns in the recent Tea Fire in Santa Barbara. Carla is a devoted Star Trek fan who manages our favorite comic shop, Metro Entertainment. She was an extra in Star Trek XI, and is one of our favorite people. These aren't wealthy people from the tony suburb of Montecito - they lived up in a canyon back of town supported by his work as a mall security guard and hers as a clerk in a comic book store.
Carla and her husband Lance were fleeing their home when a flash fire overtook them. They received second and third degree burns and were in critical condition at the UC Riverside Burn Center at last report, and their home and all their belongings were completely destroyed in the fire.
Reports indicate that Carla and Lance suffered the most dire injuries of anyone affected by the Tea Fire, but this is not all that makes them unique. Carla and Lance Hoffman are not your average couple. Although opposite in physical appearance, both are described by close friends as open-minded people with hearts of gold. The couple met at Los Angeles’s Whittier College 10 years ago, but have been married for only a little over a year. Their anniversary, September 7, may not seem like a significant date to an average person, but it marked the day before the 41st anniversary of Star Trek, Carla’s favorite show. “She didn’t plan it like that, but I did point it out to her,” said John Givetz, who has worked with Carla for the past eight years. “She’s a huge nerd, she’s a Trekkie. She is unapologetic for who she is and what she likes. She loves comics and loves sharing that passion.”
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Santa Barbara Independent, Nov. 20, 2008
Here's how you can help: The SB Fire Department has set up a fund to help with Carla & Lance's medical bills (which will be enormous). There is information on this page: Lance and Carla Burn Fund
And this page has info in the "Latest News" box on the lower right. The relief fund is accessible online through this PayPal link.
Messages of support can also be posted to the Facebook page, here, that was set up for Lance and Carla.
My family is devastated by this. Carla and Lance are wonderful people, and they need our help. Anything you can spare will be greatly appreciated. I've always been impressed with how caring and generous Kossacks can be in a crisis ... please show that spirit now.
I know this isn't what Daily Kos is for. I know that there are many worthy things to spend your money on - we've got elections to win, recounts to prevail in, causes to support, and outrages to quench. I get that.
But these are good people. They are my friends. I can't stand by and do nothing, and so among other things, I'm doing this. Register it as a personal protest against the lack of universal healthcare. Think of it as an act of holiday generosity. Maybe for you it's a gesture of respect to the guy at the comic book store who showed you something cool when you were a kid. Skip a latte - or if you're tapped out personally, rec the diary so others might see it.
These are good people. Try to help them.