Look For the Helpers
By Danielle Jenkins, PsyD 
If you know me or have followed me on social media at all, you’ve definitely heard me quote Mr. Rogers a time or two. My favorite Roger’s quote is “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'” This quote is one that I live by and has helped me support myself and my therapy clients in times of stress chaos, and trauma. This week as the entire West Coast has looked like something out of an apocalyptic movie, I had another reminder that helpers are everywhere.
This week, my hometown was burning down amidst the unprecedented fire events all up and down the West Coast. Most people who know me now know that I live and work in Washington State and believe that Portland is my hometown. I don’t usually correct them because hardly anyone outside of Oregon has ever heard of Molalla, the tiny rodeo town where I actually grew up. I doubt from now on I will so easily shrug off explaining were I did grow up. I’ve never been prouder to be from Molalla than I am this week.
On Tuesday most of the town of Molalla and some of surrounding areas were evacuated, with other surrounding areas on standby to be ready at a moment’s notice. My heart broke for my friends and family who were fleeing from fire, smoke, and thinking they could lose most of their earthly possessions. I cried every time I thought of my childhood home, the childhood nature walks with my family, my sister sitting on the fence talking to the cows. I felt desperate and hopeless thinking of all the trauma and loss my loved ones were facing. When we heard the fires out that way would be left to burn as resources were understandably going to other, bigger fires, my heart broke even more. I thought of the family who bought my childhood home six years ago, the sweet neighbor family who moved in, and all of the new, young families who had come the road we grew up on, just outside of Molalla. I cried, I raged, and I checked the fire maps multiple times a day. I asked family if they knew what was going on “out that way.” There were rumblings but not much else.
See, Molalla is one of those places that once you have been there, especially if you’ve lived there, it’s in your blood. It’s gorgeous, usually luscious, and everyone knows everyone. Even though it’s changed and grown and shifted, people there will still give you the shirt off their back if you need it. And it’s right in the middle of the indescribable beauty of the Northwest. The best stab at a description I’ve ever heard was a friend who described the Pacific Northwest as the paintings of outdoors in children’s storybooks come to life. The trees are big, the hills are plentiful. There’s life and water and wildlife everywhere. Northwest summer is something you have to experience to understand. I was lucky to grow up there. Thinking about the places of my childhood being destroyed, hearing of special places being marred or decimated was gut wrenching.
Then I started seeing posts on social media asking for supplies. I began to hear about some local boys who were working to put out the fire out near my childhood home. I felt grateful and hopeful. I was also scared knowing many people out that way might not leave their homes. I heard as many others did that the weather shift might cause the fires to converge. I began to hear more rumblings about those who had come to help the area and finally began seeing pictures of the supply stations.
A couple of names began to come up over and over. People referring, as you do out in the country, to so and so’s place up that way. I heard the names of neighbors, names of the roads I grew up on, and descriptions of places I know and love. I have never been prouder of my former neighbors and hometown. It turns out that the families on the very road I grew up on were using the property where I grew up as a drop sight and resting spot for the many volunteer firefighters up on the hill saving the area. I spoke with my parents’ former neighbor, Michelle, who told me that it was Logan and his friend James who gathered their friends and whoever they could find when this all started and have been working all week to put out fires, create fire lines, dig ditches, and clear brush. These particular neighbors moved there 7 years ago and Logan’s parents bought my parents’ home 6 years ago. These families along with their friends and other volunteers have been working day and night keeping the fire from spreading. Michelle said, “two nights ago the town would have burned down if not for these local boys who gathered to do everything they could.”
Michelle went on to tell me that over a hundred people have shown up to the two properties being used to house supplies, feed and house firefighters. She said so many supplies have been donated that they had to send them to other fires. She said the folks over at Bentley’s feed store have been putting the word out to the town and surrounding areas and people have been bringing supplies and food to the store and then to the drop site. She shared that when people post about a need in surrounding areas of Scotts Mills, Aurora, Canby, and Colton, the volunteers will bring them what they need. A local neighbor is supplying gas from Pacific Pride, the only gas station still open, on his card to fuel the equipment. She described big equipment, little tools, chainsaws, and food and water just being dropped off for use by the homegrown crew. “The support and help has been miraculous – like Biblical loaves and fishes. When there has been a need, it’s been met.” She said that her husband Tim, who is a firefighter in another town, took some supplies over to Sandy to help out the crews over there since they had more than they needed.
“They are mostly local boys, 18 to 30, who grew up hunting and running around this area. They know it better than anyone.” It is true that if you didn’t grow up out that way, you wouldn’t know where anything is. Google maps doesn’t cover all the roads and trails out there. So these locals and their families stayed to save the hills and ultimately the town. And the town and surrounding areas have supported them back. They are heroes.
Michelle went back to feed the volunteers after being evacuated and then hearing about the locals who had stayed to fight the fires. She said neighbors are cooking big pots of spaghetti and chili and volunteers are bringing takeout barbecue. She was so grateful for all who are helping them support the volunteers.
I feel honored to have grown up on this sweet little country road and feel grateful to all who have fought and are continuing to protect our childhood memories and the homes of my friends and family. Thank you Logan and James and all of the others who showed up and saved the town. Thank you Michelle for taking the time to tell me more of this beautiful story of helpers and for sharing your photos.
Even when all you see is smoke, look for the helpers!
(I was asked to remove last names and street names for privacy since this situation is ongoing.)
Pictured above is Logan wearing his Molalla Proud shirt and a group of just some of the MANY volunteers.
Helpers at the Drop Site
Donated supplies for the firefighters