Redwood Empire Baseball League Fire Victims Need Your Help

Message prepared by Rick Cantor, president, Redwood Empire Baseball League

A fundraising effort has been established by the Redwood Empire Baseball League (REBL) following the devastating October fires that ripped a large swath through the city of Santa Rosa, Ca.

Twenty three of the senior baseball league’s 715 members lost their homes in the wildfire pushed more than 20 miles by winds up to 60 miles per hour.

“The REBL set up a fundraising page through YouCaring to help members get back on their feet,” said Rick Cantor, President of the 715 member league.

Cantor said all donations will go directly to those REBL members struggling to put their lives back together.

“We had donations of $4,000 within just a few days of getting word out,” Cantor said.

Many of the league members who lost homes lived in the Coffey Park subdivision of Santa Rosa after the fire raged over four lanes of freeway after roaring down nearby hills. The massive wildfires that swept through Wine Country in Sonoma and Napa Counties torched nearly 140 square miles and reduced whole neighborhoods to ash and rubble. More than 7,000 homes and businesses were destroyed.

“I barely got out alive,” said Michael Hartnett, an outfielder for the Jazz of the REBL’s 65+ Legends League. “My son woke me up around one in the morning and said we needed to evacuate. We only had time to get the dog before the fire swept through.”

Here is a listing of the Redwood Empire players who lost their homes: Travis Oglesby, Alex Oglesby, Cameron Giannini, Klinie Kent, Dodds Delzell, Skyler Delzell, Mitchell Hackwood, Jim Henderson, Nathan Ehni, Michael Hartnett, David Leal, Tim McGregor, Cody Brannon, Pat Coleman, Rich Peters, Rich Vitali, Lou Goring, Joe Laub, Joe Silvestri, John Wedge, Troy Logan, Mark Fess and Ray Sizemore.

To donate, please visit: https://www.youcaring.com/reblmembers-1006812