Altadena dog-walking group reconnects as emotional support crew after Eaton Fire

Thousands of Altadena residents are still reeling from the Eaton Fire, and one group of neighbors — who first came together to walk their dogs — have since expanded and rebranded into a means of staying connected and providing each other emotional support.

About 50 people gathered Tuesday at La Cañada Presbyterian Church for the second meeting of what they call “The Order of The Phoenix,” a reference to the mythological bird that is reborn from its ashes. Some of them traveled from Studio City, Simi Valley, North Hollywood and beyond.

The goal of the gathering? To put aside post-disaster to-dos and connect with friends and neighbors for a couple of hours.

“This is the type of community we cannot let go of,” said Michele Judd, who lost her home in the fire. “We must preserve Altadena. And we have an incredibly diverse community.

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“And I’m really worried we’re going to lose that.”

Judd, an engineer who recently retired from Caltech and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said she and neighbor Chelsea Cartwright started walking their dogs together around five years ago. What started as just the two of them ballooned to a group of more than a dozen walkers. And that grew into even larger community gatherings.

“I guess it’s our only way of keeping Altadena together is to keep the people together,” said Cartwright, who also lost her home. “Because while everybody may not be able to go home... being able to see our neighbors that we used to see everyday is important to us.”

At the Feb. 18 meeting of The Order of the Phoenix, people gather for a group photo.

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Robert Garrova

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LAist

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On Tuesday night, people at the gathering picked at plates of food while photos depicting Altadena before the fire flashed on a screen above them. There were many moments of joy: bright California poppies in the grass, friends talking with a glass of wine in hand and a group of smiling morning dog walkers.

Some attendees won raffle prizes, including suitcases filled with clothes, Lego sets and custom wood cutting boards.

Judd and Cartwright said they want the group to focus on positivity. And while members might share the number for a contractor or a debris removal company, the main point is to lift each other’s spirits.

In a brief welcome to the group, Judd and Cartwright encouraged people to say yes when people offer help or money and to remember the adage of putting one’s own oxygen mask on before assisting others.

Lisa Judd leads her father, Paul Judd, down the driveway off their still smoldering home on Mendocino Street in Altadena.

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Michele Judd

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“You’re trying to process a level of grief that’s just unfathomable while people are at your door knocking, your insurance agent is blowing up your phone and you're expected to be so on top of things. So I think it’s important to lay those basic ground rules,” said Cartwright, a fashion designer who moved to Altadena in 2020.

Judd said it was this community that helped her when she had cancer and knee surgery and was unable to take her dog for walks. Even though her job required managing dozens of people, she said she did not know stress until the fire took the home where she and her parents lived.

Judd said her mental health depends on staying in touch with those same people.

“We’re looking into the future and trying to make sure the connections keep us a community,” she said.

The Order of the Phoenix is scheduled to meet again next month.