ARA battling natural disasters

The American Rental Association (ARA) Foundation has donated $6,000 to the American Red Cross for first-responder relief efforts for California’s voracious wildfires and West Virginia’s historic floods—and many ARA members showed up on the front lines. California wildfires scorched hundreds of homes, forced thousands to seek shelter and severely taxed the resilience of firefighters. ARA member Ron Holbert, owner of JoRonCo Rentals in Bakersfield, Calif., erected tents for more than 200 electric company crew trying to restore power and helped set up the local American Red Cross check-in stations. “When I went to the fire camp, I saw national companies and the mom-and-pop rental operations helping out,” says Holbert. “Relief measures to flood victims in West Virginia will help support the American Red Cross … which is critical to recovery measures, just as is the support and assistance being given by ARA members and their staff in the region,” says Christine Wehrman, ARA Foundation executive director.