Veronica Smith of the Altadena Historical Society and Jen Turner, executive director of the Robbins House, on Patriots Day, 2024. Courtesy photo
Veronica Smith of the Altadena Historical Society and Jen Turner, executive director of the Robbins House, on Patriots Day, 2024. Courtesy photo

Concord fundraiser to benefit Altadena, California wildfire victims

By Christine M. Quirk — [email protected]

Many Concordians have heard of Ellen Garrison — the teacher, abolitionist, and activist whose name will soon be on the new Concord Middle School. 

Now, as wildfires rage in the West, the community of Garrison’s birth is helping the community of her final resting place: Altadena, California.

“We consider Altadena to be a sister city,” Robbins House president Jen Turner said. “We’re the geographic bookends of Ellen Garrison’s life.” 

The Robbins House, where Garrison was born, will host a fundraiser in partnership with the Fenn School and the Altadena Historical Society at 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 2, at Fenn. All donations will benefit the victims of the Altadena fires. 

The event will include a screening of the short film “Ellen Garrison: Scenes from an Activist Life,” which premiered in Concord last June. The West Coast premiere took place in Altadena last Juneteenth. 

Filmmakers Jennifer Burton and Julie Dobrow will show footage from that premiere and Altadena Historical Society president Veronica Jones’ visit to Concord last Patriots Day. Jones’ organization led a fundraising campaign to place a stone on Garrison’s previously unmarked grave in 2021.

Ellen Garrison Clark’s grave at Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena, California. File photo courtesy of John Gardella
Garrison’s grave at Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena. File photo courtesy of John Gardella

There will also be music — both singing and piano performances — and guests are welcome to mingle and donate. 

“Hopefully, it will inspire people to come out,” Turner said.

Grateful — and sad

When news broke about fires in Altadena, Turner said she felt an immediate connection. 

“People reached out and asked how Veronica was and how to do something for the Altadena community,” Turner said. 

Jones spoke with The Concord Bridge on January 24, describing burned blocks where nothing remained but chimneys. Residents, she said, are trying to figure out what’s next.

“We’re safe,” Jones said. “But in the Historical Society, out of 17 volunteers, nine lost everything. … Altadena has about 14,000 homes, and 9,000 were destroyed.”

Turner said she’s “thrilled” Jones is planning to come to the fundraiser.

“I thought, ‘The least I can do is come out, if someone’s going to help,’ and we do need to continue telling the story,” Jones said. “We’re grateful, and we’re very sad.”

Mountain View Cemetery, where Garrison is buried, had minimal damage. It’s temporarily closed to the public due to safety concerns. 

For more information about the fire relief fundraiser, visit robbinshouse.org.  

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