Top, the CREW workers with picks and chain saws, preparing to cut combustible fuel from ridges around homes: (l-r) Christian Rader, David Wildman, Wade Wells, Noah Anderson, Mike Lauchlan, Jon Paul Gaffron, Kailie Shillig and Bill Shillig. Christian Rader (bottom left) and Kailie Shillig (bottom left of center) chopping up dry brush. Bottom right of center, Wade Wells, David Wildman and another CREW member carefully descend a hillside with tools and branches cleared from a ridge. Bottom right, members of The CREW scramble down a steep bank to limb up trees and clear brush on slopes that poses extreme fire hazards for residents living next to forested land.
By Jim McDevitt
It was already sunny at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 30 when a large white truck pulled into a clearing off of Mil Potrero Highway, half way down the hill toward Pine Mountain.
On the side of the truck was painted a name: The CREW. It carried serious tools such as chain saws, picks and shovels, three adults and a group of six energetic young people.
By 8:00 a.m. the youths were working steadily on a steep gully on the north side of Mil Potrero Highway west of the S-Curves. They were clearing combustible brush away from homes, bringing down the great risk of fire we all face in this very dry year.
CREW stands for Concerned Resources & Environmental Workers. Wally McCall, CEO of the nonprofit Youth Employment Program, is the driving force behind the success of this program. About 75% of those employed are at-risk youth (those facing challenges such as low income, single parent family, school attendance problems, grade point deficiencies or family illnesses), McCall explained.
Three or four times a year the CREW does a five day "spike out." They maintain trails, restore habitat and restore creeks for steelhead trout in locations so remote—and with terrain so rugged—that supplies must be brought in by mule team.
Christian Rader, age 17, is working his second summer with the CREW. He graduated from FMHS and plans to attend college. Christian’s message to youth joining the program: "Work hard. Don’t expect to slack off. It ends up being fun in the end."
Michael Lauchlan, age 19, is from Lake of the Woods. Michael’s advice for students is "Stay in school. Get your education and use the high school to the best of your advantage." Mike is going to College of the Canyons, majoring in Administration of Justice. He intends to move on to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after obtaining his degree.
Rich Quinn, a local attorney involved with the program, gave some detail: "Over the years we’ve employed thousands of kids from three different counties, cleared hundreds of miles of trails and maintained remote campgrounds.
"We’ve done fuel breaks, fire mitigation and other tasks, really contributing to the local area."
Wade Wells, age 18, found out about the program from friends. This is his third year. Wade said he likes the program a lot: "You work with friends, you get team experience, it’s a good workout and it’s fun." He plans to go the College of the Canyons for the next two years to obtain a degree in Computer Science. His goal is to either go into the military or pursue a career in computers.
J.P. Gaffron, age 16, was experiencing his third day working with the CREW. He lives in Lake of the Woods. J.P. will be a junior this year at FMHS and has a career goal of becoming a California Highway Patrol Officer.
Kailie Shillig, age 15, was the only female on the CREW team Saturday morning. She will be a junior at FMHS and this is her second year in the program. Kailie’s career goal is to become a medical doctor. She hopes to attend Brigham Young University and later to choose a med school. In answering a work question young ladies might have, Kailie smiled, saying, "It’s not that hard. The guys think they’re manly, so come and make fun of them."
William Shillig and Mike Lauchlan were the supervisors of the CREW of six. Shillig, one of the original supervisors since the program started, teaches at FMHS.
The size of the work force varies depending on the amount of work available and the size of the job.
Youth aged 14 to 21 who are interested in employment can contact Quinn by leaving a message at his office at 245-4656.
For more information, you can reach McCall at (805) 649-8847 or by e-mail at thecrew1@sbcglobal.net or check their website at www.thecrew.org.
Contributions are tax deductible and can be made payable to The CREW at P.O. Box 1532, Ojai, CA 93024.
If you have a lot to be cleared, you can help the CREW and yourself by contacting McCall to find out more about how to hire them.
This is part of the July 06, 2007 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.
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