The one factor that seems to come up most often when I visit various providers across the country is a sense that there are still people and organizations that still make a concerted effort to do the right thing. It’s a warm feeling when I leave and am left with a sense that people care and want to help others. Not every place is driven by the bottom line and stockholder dividends. I am impressed by doers of deeds.

A little background on what brought me here since I hadn’t planned any more travel  until after the first of the year. Christmas is coming and this year all of my children and grandchildren will be making the trip out and staying with me. That’s 17 stockings to hang from the mantle and fill this year, plus a tree, and the trimmings, and the menu.

Having grown up in Southern California and the last of my family on my father’s side still reside in the South Bay area. It is also where I spent my youth up to high school.

Over the last 10 years, with one exception I have always come down to my cousin’s for Thanksgiving to enjoy a family get together. At one time this was done at my grandmother’s and included many more people.  Because we are aging and dwindling in numbers, its down to my aunt, uncle, cousin and her husband. My children are grown and spread out over the country and if I stayed home this year I would have eaten a Hungry Man turkey TV dinner alone.

My cousin was taught to cook by our grandmother and the meals reflect those memories from our youth. My cousin also pampers me during my visit and we have fun together. We both have a perverted sense of humor.  One year we toured the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, which is like Disneyland for the dead and many of the  Hollywood greats have been interred there. Rudolph Valentino, Cecil B. DeMille, Douglas Fairbanks Sr.,  Marion Davies, Tyrone Power, Don Adams  and others.  One year we even had our picture taken by Mel Blanc’s headstone, which reads “That’s All Folks”, and left “worry stones” to pay homage from our visit. Not many other people I know are willing to wander among headstones to pay a visit to Alfalfa and Darla who were once Little Rascals.

As I sat and read the Sunday edition of the Daily Breeze it contained a story about the local ambulance provider, Gerber, who had helped a hospital in the village of Ogidi, Nigeria establish a local EMS system and provided 2 ambulances, fully equipped, put in a cell based GPS system, and trained their personnel. It was a story worth reading and realizing that what they accomplished is usually done by large corporations like IBM, XEROX, EXXON-Mobile with a large corporate charity base to work with and not by a local EMS  provider. To date they’ve provided 2 ambulances, which are currently in service at Iyi-enu Hospital in the village of Ogidi, Nigeria, and 2 additional units will be added by the end of the year.

Gerber Ambulance is a local provider in the Torrance area and provides all levels of service to the community. Operational offices are modern and spacious and the equipment first rate.  I met with Matthew Steeneken who is the Operations Manager and was given a tour as well as introduced to Robert Gerber the company President.

Mr. Gerber took the lead the local EMS efforts in this charitable endeavor donating vehicles, equipment and providing training.

Gerber Paramedic unit

Gerber has implemented a Special Operations Unit

photos by John McMaster

During the tour Matthew pointed out 4 units that were being readied for re-distribution, 2 for Nigeria and 2 for communities in Mexico after they are refurbished.

After the tour Matthew showed me a video presentation, which gave the background and an overview of all the efforts and people involved in the charitable cause.

The initial effort was sparked by Tobenna Onwaunya and his wife Eunice who, while visiting their homeland, their daughter became gravely ill. It was during that visit that they learned how meager the country’s EMS system was.  On their return they formed a foundation and were joined by Robert Gerber, who donated the vehicles.

A tip of the hat to Gerber Ambulance and staff for taking the initiative and lead in helping others provide EMS where it wouldn’t otherwise exist. 

Gerber Ambulance

Article in the Daily Breeze