Restore Hope for Arnold and Diane Stanfield after Park Fire

On July 26th the Park Fire 2024 burned down our family home.

For detailed story and depiction of events see below.

TLDR:

The Park fire has devastated our family home, and our parents, Arnold(73) and Diane Stanfield(66) in Chico, California, specifically Cohasset, have lost everything. They are well-known and respected in the Nord/Cohasset and Chico communities, where they have dedicated decades to giving back.

The funds will be used to help with their short term needs including, but not limited to:

Highlights:

Loss of Pets: Unfortunately a cat and a cockatiel were lost in the fire. Some of their pond fish survived, but their pond equipment and plants are lost.

Family Background: My parents have contributed significantly to local schools and community projects.

Business Loss: Dad's landscaping equipment was destroyed.

Support Needed: We are seeking assistance to help them rebuild and move forward. Your generosity and support are deeply appreciated. For those who can't contribute, your thoughts and well-wishes are valued.

Full Recap: The details

My name is Sunshine Stanfield. I was born and raised in Chico, Ca, but now live in Idaho. My parents have been part of the Chico community since before I was born. I was raised in Nord, Ca and went to Nord Elementary school. My mother, Diane Stanfield, started volunteering at Nord elementary when my little sister started Kindergarten, out of respect for her I won't mention the year. ;) My mom has worked at Nord ever since in various capacities including yard duty, arts, computers, kitchen, fundraising, after school care. Nord School went through various struggles over the years and overcame threat of closure and become a charter school. She now primarily works in their afterschool program and library as well as helping with many of the fundraisers including the famous pie auction where her Peaches and Cream with a Zing pie always brings in one of the highest donations. When I was at Nord school she helped me to win the bean feed ticket sales with her connections and warm personality. My father often supports the fundraisers along with my mother and is hands on in helping with school projects.

My dad primarily works as a landscaper and has for many years, even though I think he should be retired by now! He has many clients that are advanced in age and has always worked to provide them with exceptional landscaping care and accommodate their varying financial situations. Our whole family has at one time helped with the family business and come to know many wonderful members of our community. Unfortunately all of his landscaping equipment and supplies were lost in the fire and will need to be replaced in order to continue landscaping for his clients.

They both have loved living in both Nord and their new home for the past years in Cohasset, California, My parents love nature, and they love their close-knit community in Cohasset. They love their monthly meeting at the community center with the local home brew club. Another thing that my father lost! All of his delicious concoctions (home brew club fellas will know what I mean) and his supplies.

The Park Fire has been an unnecessary and devastating disaster. It has taken our family’s legacy from us. My parents have lost their home. My siblings and I have lost our childhood home, that was purchased when my younger sister was born in early 1980’s and we have lost years of history in this heartless and selfish fire. During their escape my parents had to leave behind their pet cockatiel, screech, and adorable kitty Mrs. Z. They did all they could to protect and save what they could in the time that they had. The fire alarms were blaring and they grabbed what they could in order to descend safely down Cohasset road. My brother had driven up to help them to save what they were able to.

They had faced previous warnings and were prepared, but never can be fully prepared for the actual event. They gathered what they could under emotional duress and were able to get themselves to safety. They had friends that had previously lost homes in the Camp Fire and did their best.

Arnold and Diane Stanfield are two amazing and well-known people in the Nord/Cohasset and Chico communities after 60 plus years and they have lost literally everything, including many years of collections and memories from both sets of my grandparents. It is a devastating loss. My father is a self-employed landscape/gardener and my mom has worked and volunteered many years in the BCOE school district and the Nord Country Charter School. They constantly work hard to give back to the school and their community.

We got word today at 5pm that they lost everything. My father's business and personal effects and my mother's personal effects and memories/souvenirs from years of working with students at the school. They also tragically lost beloved 'fur' family members that had to be left behind.

We are working to help them rebuild and move forward. They may hate me for making this, or feel embarrassed or undeserving, but in my opinion people that give back their entire lives, or live less than, deserve at one point in their life to be on the receiving end of the love and support that they are always so willing to extend.

We love and appreciate you all and thank you for even loving comments as we realize that not everyone in this current economical system have anything extra to share, and we don't expect it. Those that can, we appreciate your love and generosity in helping them get back on their feet. Those that can't we love you always and forever no matter what, because it's the thought that counts, and we've all been there.

Thank you!

Edit: Relaying the aftermath from neighbors perspective: "We received an update today from one of my parent's neighbors.

Here is what my mom relayed to us:

"One of our wonderful neighbors had stayed behind during the fire. He explained to us what happened. He said it was so so hot!

The Fire-nado everyone was reporting seeing he said happened in the Maple Branch Creek area. Our property! The fire swirled around in the vegetation that the Grant group was supposed to be coming through to clear in the next month or so. That is where it came up into our area. He said they hit it hard trying to defend our property. He described a lot...Dozers etc . They had some issues with being able to get water up to the site with the trucks. Then when the Pentz fire started they had to pull some from there. He said at one time he thought his place was going to go as well. The fire was a true beast and despite their best efforts there was nothing they could do. He said even the fire person choked up as he was explaining. Our neighbor was there at the time and saw it all happen. It was comforting that he was able to explain. I could understand better how and why it got through our property.

He said that it came in so hot and fast that I'm sure it was quick for the inside pets. Which is a sliver of blessing. We had some stray kitties that had showed up at our property in recent months and we had been feeding them and planning to trap, fix and release. He was going to keep a look out for any of the outside kitties. Unfortunately, knowing that they tended to hide under the house, and from the way he described the things, it was most likely very quick for all of them.

It was very sweet that he contacted us. I saved him from having to tell us that it was gone. Since we already knew. He said that they are really protecting people's property, which is nice to know. He had to be careful, but, he volunteered to walk up and check a few things and send a couple of pictures.

Amazingly, my waterfall pond fish survived. He said he didn't know what to feed them. I started to describe the bucket and how it was beside the building....only to remember it was gone. I suggested that sometimes the fire guys will check and help with situations. I am hoping that they can get some fresh water to them as it's full of ash. They really need pond plants. I can get some from my plant groups soon hopefully, and that would give them the extra oxygen they need. Mosquito's are pretty tough. So, if some survive and land. That can help them as well. Until, I can figure out a plan. Since, I no longer have a water tank to fill the pond. I might have to scoop them out. At least they survived, but they won't survive for too long in this current situation. As I was writing this and tearing up. I was explaining to my daughter in law about that was my favorite gold fish. And while I can't do anything for them it's still hard to give them away. She mentioned her Mom's pond and that she could potentially foster them, or at least they would still be in the family.

I didn't ask my neighbor about the other pond. It was too close to the septic tank and that side had a lot of heat. The heat he described was intense and heart-wrenching....He said it was so hot as he got close to a glass it practically burned his face.

Sadly, it probably boiled the fish on that side, but he will try and check again when he feeds the fish.

He said they are arresting people that stayed if they leave their property, so must be cautious.

We've shared some videos of the pond before, and the natural wildlife. This was truly my little piece of paradise and I worked hard on building my ponds and garden and fostering a natural environment. I found great joy in watching the pond transform and the greenery and natural beauty it provided. It was my sanctuary.

In the included pictures you can see the surviving fish. Another photo shows the inside of my garden shed storage. The 3 pieces of my Nord Nighthawk mural were inside. If you went to Nord Elementary you would remember it on the cafeteria wall. I had been able to preserve it when the school transitioned to a charter. Nord Country School where I now work.

It looks like everything is gone for good now. Amazingly, somehow my little plastic turtle survived. Just last week I had bought more of the solar lights I had all over the yard.

I was so happy with my garden paradise, and wanted to share it with my friends and family."

Thank you all for your continued love and support. Understandably, our parents are overwhelmed and in shock, but your thoughts are a great comfort.