By Jondi Gumz
On Tuesday night, ReGeneration Church Pastor Matt Valencia made 15 to 20 calls, reaching out to members living in Boulder Creek and Bonny Doon, areas evacuated due to the August Lightning Complex fires.
He posted messages on Facebook and Instagram with his cell phone number, and he started getting calls.
He decided he would spend the night at the church, which leases the Green Hills Event Center in Scotts Valley and had a spacious parking lot.
By word of mouth, seven families showed up at the church, looking for a safe place to go.
Brian Jolly, his 10-year-old twins, Grace and Elijah, and 9-year-old Mary, who live in Boulder Creek came with Brian’s father-in-law, Dennis Mozeleski, who lives in Bonny Doon.
Mozeleski said he could hear rockets going off at the Lockheed plant, and left at about midnight.
“The fire went around us,” he said. “Crest Ranch (the Christmas tree farm) was a buffer.”
Brian Jolly, with his children Grace, Mary and Elijah, and father in law Dennis Mozeleski, find refuge from the lightning fires at ReGeneration Church in Scotts Valley.
Jolly said he had an offer from his boss and his boss’ boss to stay with them but he opted to come to the church, where he is a member, thankful for the call from Pastor Matt.
In his job, Jolly works remotely. He’s relatively new here, moving to the area in November.
After getting an evacuation warning, he packed things up and asked the children what they would like to bring.
Elijah picked Legos. Mary brought her ukulele and Grace brought her banjo.
Pastor Matt, dressed casually in a blue Dodgers shirt, said he got calls from members asking how they could help. One group of people brought breakfast, another family brought lunch.
“I was just amazed,” he said.