Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Community service advocate receives support in time of need

Mac Werthmuller, a resident of Fallbrook for 11 years, has dedicated his time to helping his community. During last year’s Rice Canyon firestorm, he and his wife, Le, lost their home at Valley Oaks Mobile Home Park and were sincerely touched by how the community responded in their time of need.

“We are personally thankful to the Fallbrook community for being so kind and generous when we lost our home,” said Werthmuller. “The kindness they gave us kept us from getting down.”

Not only was Werthmuller moved by the way Fallbrook came together to help fire victims, but he said that he heard out-of-town firefighters, who had fought many blazes throughout the years, verbalize how amazed they were with Fallbrook’s kind-hearted acts.

“The firefighters said that Fallbrook was the most amazing community they had ever been in,” Werthmuller said.

Currently, the couple is refurbishing a recently purchased mobile home at Valley Oaks. While they are busy getting their new home ready, it’s hard not to notice the beautiful metal sculpture (a gate) decorating the exterior of their home.

“I was self-taught in metal sculpting; I first bought a plasma cutter, which cuts steel at a very high temperature, and a welder. That’s pretty much what I use,” said Werthmuller. “There are no schools around that teach you this.”

Although the Werthmuller family is doing as well as can be expected after the fire, he admits it has been six months of chaos. Despite the challenges, the people of Fallbrook have been amazing, he said.

The Fallbrook Land Conservancy and Save Our Forest organizations that Werthmuller volunteers with stepped forward and lent many helping hands.

“They were incredible; they came out of nowhere and helped us,” he said.

Werthmuller remains very involved in the Save Our Forest program. He also helps with the Adopt a Highway program.

“For years, there is a group of us who have picked up trash on the highway from Mission [Road] to Highway 395, all they way down to [Highway] 76 and up Reche [Road] to Wilt [Road],” said Werthmuller. “On the second Saturday of each month, we get together and collect an amazing amount of trash.”

On average, these volunteers pick up anywhere from six to 16 full bags of trash in a mere two to three hours. “We have a really good crew,” Werthmuller said.

“We really enjoy keeping our roads clean, and people drive by, honk and say thanks to us,” he said.

Over the past year, Werthmuller said he has been happy to notice there is less trash in their designated areas.

With his volunteer work, metal art and readying his new home, the word “retirement” does not appear to be in Werthmuller’s vocabulary.

“When I stop breathing, then I’ll retire,” he joked.

Werthmuller welcomes anyone who would like to join their volunteer group for the Adopt a Highway program to join them the second Saturday of the month at the entrance to Pala Mesa Resort at 8 a.m.

For more information, call (760) 728-0889 or (760) 213-5914.

 

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