Nonprofit established for Angora survivors lives on — just in case
While the last check for Angora Fire victims was cut a year ago, the nonprofit Community Disaster Resource Center still exists.
No physical presence exists in South Lake Tahoe anymore, but board members meet once a year – partly because of legal reasons, partly to make sure they want to keep the group going.
“What we have done is we saved enough money in the fund to keep us operational for the near future, like 10 years, so we are still a nonprofit organization ready to go in action if there is any community need,” explained Dick Schwarte, president of CDRC.
Originally the group was called the Angora Relief Fund. It was set up to assist the 254 owners who lost their houses in the June 2007 inferno as well as renters.
The remaining landscaping vouchers were redeemed in summer 2010. That is the last any money was spent other than routine fees to maintain a nonprofit.
Schwarte said while the group hopes to never have to be called into action again, if that day does come, the CDRC is established and ready to help where needed.
— Kathryn Reed
how about using the rest of the fund as a reward to find the instigators of the fire? Last time i checked, it was described as an ILLEGAL fire. and please don’t tell me to “get over it.” 5 years of nonstop landscaping a toxic lot was and still is overwhelming-in retrospect, most of us agree that we should have packed it in and left.
You should all be asking for a written accounting of 1) how much money was collected by the fund; 2) who received money from the fund and the dollar amount they received; 3) how much is left and what the 10 year budget is. Seems to me a non operational non-profit doesn’t take much money to “keep”.
I know MANY people who received little or no money from this fund, and have heard horror stories of how much money tenants received well over and above their losses. Maybe money from this fund should have been (or the balance should be) used to compensate people for their legal costs in having to sue BAD insurance companies.
I agree with Tony Colombo…I also lived on Mt Olympia..and would like to know who the HELL STARTED THE FIRE…Fires happen all the time.. Bigg Cities..within 2 weeks they know how and where and who did it…WHY AFTER 5 YEARS WE STILL CANNOT KNOW…?????????? I WOULD OF LOVED SOME MONEY FOR MY LEGAL COSTS TOO!!
ok editor, here is your 60 minutes story-as well as anyone that knows what really happened-forest service cover ups (oops! i said it) witnesses, it is and was a crime-oh-P.S. instead of retiring, i now drive a city bus-but hey, just move on, why does it matter…………