The Almeda fire that roared through Talent and Phoenix on September 7 has devastated the lives of several Lithia Artisan members and their families. Along with our community at large, they’re reeling from the impact. To help those artists who’ve lost nearly everything, we’ll be telling their stories over the coming days while providing ways you can help them recover.
Our member artists Marcella Ruikis and her mother Susan Mills, better known as Sooz locally, along with Sooz’s caregiver, narrowly escaped the Almeda fire as it roared through Talent, Oregon.
The trailer park in which they lived in adjacent homes was already engulfed in fire before the women realized what was happening. With no warning, they left with almost nothing. Sooz and her caregiver escaped in their car. Leaving Marcella to gather a few things and follow. Marcella made a desperate dash to alert elderly neighbors before she left. Fearing that they were unaware of the danger.
The evacuation was terrifying; propane tanks exploding all around as the three tried to evacuate Talent. They encountered hastily erected roadblocks, sometimes being directed by emergency workers back to where they’d just been. Terrifying and futile circling finally led to escape via back roads to Phoenix, also on fire, and finally to Medford and safety. A journey that usually takes 15 minutes had taken almost four hours.
Understandably, Marcella is emotionally and physically fragile, having barely slept since the day of the inferno. We are trying to help her and her mother get stabilized and rebuild their lives with community help and a GoFundMe campaign.
Marcella and Sooz had no insurance on their homes, studio, or belongings. They’ll have to start from scratch. Both have serious health issues and are low-income members. They are respected artists in our community and Marcella is a popular and talented singer in the Rogue Valley. (Ironically, she’s used the stage name Smoky Red over the years in delivering sultry jazz ballads.)
We ask for your help, for our precious friends. Not only were their homes lost but their livelihoods. Any amount helps.
A Gofundme campaign has been set up in their names.
