Firefighters rally for ailing wife
Jesse B. Gill, Staff Writer
Posted: 11/10/2009 01:29:58 PM PST
REDLANDS - Firefighter/ paramedic Mike Leinen spends his days saving the lives of area residents. Now he needs them to return the favor. Leinen's wife, Annie, 28, was diagnosed Oct. 29 with Stage 4 malignant melanoma that has spread to her lungs. Annie gave birth to the couple's third son Oct. 28 - more than 12 weeks early - because of the advancement of her disease and is undergoing chemotherapy at Stanford University Medical Center.
The Redlands Fire Department family wants to help the Leinens through their ordeal. "The biggest request from the family is prayer," said firefighter/paramedic Kelwyn Wild. The Fire Department is also launching an effort to help ease the Leinen family's financial burden. Between 25 and 30 people crowded into firefighter/paramedic Chad Meketarian's Yucaipa home on Sunday to support Annie and the Leinen family. "We made awareness ribbons personalized for Annie," said Meketarian's wife, Shannon. The group made more than 1,400 ribbons that will be kept at Redlands' four fire stations. Residents can get a ribbon or a button for a $2 donation, Meketarian said. "And every single penny goes straight to the Leinen family," she saidBut donations gathered from the ribbons and buttons will only scratch the surface, Wild said.
Because Annie Leinen's fight with cancer will likely not end tomorrow, neither will the Redlands firefighters' efforts to help her family. "We are looking for support over a long period of time," Wild said. "The family is going to need a ton of support." The Redlands Professional Firefighters' Association - the labor union representing Redlands firefighters - is scheduled to meet Thursday to discuss more ways to raise tax-free money for the Leinen family. "It's family," said fire Capt. Dave Denman. "Mike's family is our family. There's no difference. When something happens to them, you take it as personal as your own blood." Listening to members of the community speak, a single word pops up over and over - family. "This profession is so family-oriented," Wild said. "I'm so proud to be involved in something like this. It's hard to explain the dynamic we have." The firefighter "family" rallies together when its members encounter tragedy, Meketarian said.
"Firefighters, firefighter wives, their kids - we spend holidays together, birthdays, we're at home, we're at the station, we are around each other all the time," she said. "This is family. This is just what we do."
To donate or for more information on how to help, contact Shannon Meketarian at
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Campaign Update
Written by Joe Arnett Monday, 09 November 2009 19:52
Dear San Bernardino Residents,
A sincere and heartfelt thank you goes out to all of my family, friends, volunteers’ supporters and voters! The efforts you made to close an almost insurmountable deficit from the special election, a margin some would say, “Isn’t worth trying.” – to come so close is very disappointing yet, very much worth trying and we finished much closer than the opposition expected.
When you consider how far the “Go With JOE” campaign has come, netting 19.8% of the vote last March in the special election to 47.5% now – and that we came within 5% of the Mayor's chosen candidate with congressional support, we simply had time expire.
I feel confident we would have won based on momentum had there been a few more weeks.
The political status quo managed to dodge a bullet and got a bit lucky libeling me the weekend before election with last minute mailers and an early endorsement from fire management all worked to confuse just enough voters. That I suppose is the game of politics and the will of the people.
I'll continue in some manner to represent issues important to us 4th warders and the city and I will continue to work for transparent, honest and accountable public service representation focused on fixing the problems facing our community.
Again, thank you to everyone.
Best Regards, Joe Arnett
Galatians 6:9
9 And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
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