For close to two weeks, the state of California has been forced to deal with wildfires that have resulted in at least 75 known casualties, hundreds of missing people, the loss of thousands of homes and businesses, and billions of dollars in damage. Though we’re far from the deadly blazes that decimated the west coast, many locals and people with ties to Milwaukee have likely been impacted by the California wildfires, including a former member of .357 String Band.
On the morning of November 8, Derek Dunn—a high school teacher and the ex-guitarist of the legendary Milwaukee “streetgrass” band—and his partner, Kate, were forced to evacuate their home in Paradise, California. While the couple, along with their three dogs and guinea pig, managed to escape to safety, their home and most of their possess were lost in the fire.
Yesterday, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to help them rebuild their house and their lives. The crowdfunding movement has already surpassed its modest $5,000 goal, but there’s still time to donate to the Dunn-Brice campaign and help a California family with a connection to Milwaukee in a time of need.