Lodi merchant collects donations, drives them to Camp Fire evacuation centers

Nov. 29--Dean Machado, owner of Woodlake Cleaners on West Turner Road in Lodi, stood behind the counter of his business on Wednesday morning, looking at boxes of toothbrushes, cases of bottled water and other items donated by his fellow Lodians that sat in his lobby, waiting to be taken to evacuation centers in Butte County.

Machado has delivered approximately 6,500 pounds of donations to people who lost their homes and possessions in the Camp Fire since Nov. 12, he said, driving approximately 250 miles per trip. Tuesday marked his eighth delivery.

"Things have changed there by the day," Machado said. "Places are open one day, and closed the next."

Although he had previously made deliveries to the Chico Rescue Mission -- a nonprofit that had set up a staging area in an old toy store -- Machado said he learned on Tuesday that the group was no longer accepting donations.

"It looks like they'll be closing up and transferring everything to the Salvation Army," Machado said.

Machado initially took donations to evacuation centers in Chico, he said, although he has recently begun making deliveries to Oroville where he said the Federal Emergency Management Agency has also established a presence.

"People are starting to realize that people in Oroville need the same kind of help that people in Chico need, so they're starting to focus more on (Oroville)," Machado said.

As firefighters have contained the Camp fire, Machado said he watched fire trucks begin to leave Butte County during his last trip, replaced by heavy equipment such as bulldozers used to clean up areas damaged by the flames.

In addition to dropping off donations for human evacuees, Machado also stopped by an animal shelter at Chico Municipal Airport on Tuesday where he learned that out of more than 100 dogs rescued, only 28 were still waiting for their owners to retrieve them.

"Yesterday, a man comes walking up looking for his dog," Machado said. "He said his friend found the remains of one of his dogs, but he believes his other dog is still alive."

Machado also met an older woman at the animal shelter, he said, who had lost her house and had no family other than the dog she was trying to find.

"She said 'I don't care about my jewelry, diamonds, any of that. I just want my dog back,'" Machado said.

Although FEMA had begun distributing hotel vouchers, Machado said that evacuees have begun moving into tents and RVs in parking lots and the Silver Dollar Fair Ground once those vouchers ran out.

"Folks that I met, so many of them don't have insurance. They lost everything and have nowhere to go," Machado said. "When you see it firsthand, it's a totally different thing and I think that's what's been keeping me motivated."

Machado plans to continue taking donations to Butte County as long as Lodians keep bringing them to his business, although he said the donation centers have been making specific requests such as gift cards, rain gear, disposable plates and flatware and camp stoves with propane tanks.

"Their needs are going to change as time goes on," Machado said. "Right now, the focus is on new items, not used, and plus-size clothing. I've had a lot of calls for plus-size clothing."

Sleeping bags are also in demand, Machado said, as are blankets, puzzles and toys for children, canned and non-perishable food and batteries.

Machado's niece also created a GoFundMe page to raise funds to buy gift cards, he said, and he told her he would personally match however much she raises.

"If everybody in Lodi reached in their pocket and pulled out a dollar, we have 65,000 people in Lodi, so it would really make a big difference," Machado said.

When he visited a Salvation Army center, Machado said it resembled a large store with one exception: Everything was free. All the evacuees had to do was show a form of identification to prove that they were Butte County residents.

"I haven't seen any greed, though" Machado said. "I haven't seen people loading up their carts, I've seen shopping carts that were only half-full."

Machado has found the experience humbling, he said, as much because of the evacuee's attitudes as the generosity of his fellow Lodians.

"I'm just a guy with a truck and a trailer," Machado said. "It's really the people of Lodi that have come together to make this happen."

Machado might make his ninth trip today, he said, if weather permits and he collects enough donations to fill his trailer.

"I don't want to sit on these items," Machado said. "I don't have the space, and the items aren't doing the folks up there any good if they're sitting down here."

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