Southport, CT: The Independent Jewelers Organization (IJO) held its semi-annual conference at the Renaissance Hotel & Conference Center in Palm Springs, CA, March 1-4, 2025 where they held a scrap gold donation fundraiser to benefit those involved in the fire fighting and recovery efforts of the recent catastrophic fires in the Los Angeles area.
According to IJO’s Vice President Jennifer Herold, “The response from our membership was truly heartwarming! The gold donation showcased their incredible generosity, and the amount of gold and contributions we received added up to $19,000. This support makes a real difference!”
The keynote speaker during General Session on March 2nd was the famous Erik Wahl, who incorporates the creation of art in his inspirational presentation, and two of his stunning paintings – The Statue of Liberty and a portrait of Albert Einstein -- were auctioned off on the spot. Within minutes each sold for an amazing $8,750! These funds were added to the $19,000 received, bringing the grand total to $36,500.
After considerable research IJO made the decision to submit these funds to The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation’s “Adopt-A-Fire-Station Program”. Of the 106 stations in the area, the city’s budget limitations cannot begin to cover the numerous needs of these firefighters who put their lives on the line regularly. They have selected Fire Station 16 in South El Sereno and Fire Station 44 in Cypress Park, after learning they are located in underserved communities and struggle with ongoing, unmet needs.
“Our contribution will directly support the firefighters in these communities and can address immediate needs as well as help improve their general living and working conditions,” reported Penny Palmer, IJO’s Director of Member Services. “We think back to the devastating, out of control blazes of last winter, and we’re happy to provide some assistance to these brave individuals.
“We send a heartfelt thank you to our vendor partners Elemetal & United Precious Metals for managing the gold donations and donating their time to this cause”, stated IJO President & CEO Stephen Barnes. “IJO has made it a practice to ‘leave our mark’ in the communities we visit, and we’re so proud to have been able to make contributions of more than half a million dollars to many worthy causes over the years.”
From Firefighter Kristian Bage at LAFD Fire Station 16:
"On behalf of the crew at Fire Station 16, thank you for your generous donation. We’ll be using the funds to improve our station in meaningful ways, including adding a much-needed storage unit to better organize our gear, tools, and supplies. As one of the smaller stations, having this additional space will make a big difference in our day-to-day operations. We’ll also be upgrading our gym equipment, which is used daily as part of our physical fitness requirement. Our current equipment is outdated, so these improvements will directly support our health and readiness. We truly appreciate your support; it means a lot to all of us."
From Captain Best at LAFD Fire Station 44:
"Thank you to our dear supporters, the Independent Jewelers Organization, for your generous donation to Fire Station 44. As you may or may not know, the city of Los Angeles does not provide many of the essentials required of life in a fire station. We have to either come up with our own money or ask for help from the Fire Foundation through donations. These donations typically come from businesses or individuals within each fire station district. At 44’s, we have had no donors in the last 7 years since I’ve been here. While the Fire Foundation has been gracious in finding other money to help us when they can, it’s been tough to get everything we need done.
With your generous donation, we will finally be able to complete our fire station gymnasium and replace our antiquated station tools with modern, up-to-date equipment. Purchasing gym equipment and tools has been prohibitively expensive. You at the Independent Jewelers Organization have solved that problem.
Please think of this as a 20-year investment in 44’s physical and mental wellness. We take excellent care of our equipment and tools, so we will make it last. So, on behalf of Fire Station 44 and all its members... Thank you very much, and we appreciate your help!!!"
According to IJO’s Vice President Jennifer Herold, “The response from our membership was truly heartwarming! The gold donation showcased their incredible generosity, and the amount of gold and contributions we received added up to $19,000. This support makes a real difference!”
The keynote speaker during General Session on March 2nd was the famous Erik Wahl, who incorporates the creation of art in his inspirational presentation, and two of his stunning paintings – The Statue of Liberty and a portrait of Albert Einstein -- were auctioned off on the spot. Within minutes each sold for an amazing $8,750! These funds were added to the $19,000 received, bringing the grand total to $36,500.
After considerable research IJO made the decision to submit these funds to The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation’s “Adopt-A-Fire-Station Program”. Of the 106 stations in the area, the city’s budget limitations cannot begin to cover the numerous needs of these firefighters who put their lives on the line regularly. They have selected Fire Station 16 in South El Sereno and Fire Station 44 in Cypress Park, after learning they are located in underserved communities and struggle with ongoing, unmet needs.
“Our contribution will directly support the firefighters in these communities and can address immediate needs as well as help improve their general living and working conditions,” reported Penny Palmer, IJO’s Director of Member Services. “We think back to the devastating, out of control blazes of last winter, and we’re happy to provide some assistance to these brave individuals.
“We send a heartfelt thank you to our vendor partners Elemetal & United Precious Metals for managing the gold donations and donating their time to this cause”, stated IJO President & CEO Stephen Barnes. “IJO has made it a practice to ‘leave our mark’ in the communities we visit, and we’re so proud to have been able to make contributions of more than half a million dollars to many worthy causes over the years.”
From Firefighter Kristian Bage at LAFD Fire Station 16:
"On behalf of the crew at Fire Station 16, thank you for your generous donation. We’ll be using the funds to improve our station in meaningful ways, including adding a much-needed storage unit to better organize our gear, tools, and supplies. As one of the smaller stations, having this additional space will make a big difference in our day-to-day operations. We’ll also be upgrading our gym equipment, which is used daily as part of our physical fitness requirement. Our current equipment is outdated, so these improvements will directly support our health and readiness. We truly appreciate your support; it means a lot to all of us."
From Captain Best at LAFD Fire Station 44:
"Thank you to our dear supporters, the Independent Jewelers Organization, for your generous donation to Fire Station 44. As you may or may not know, the city of Los Angeles does not provide many of the essentials required of life in a fire station. We have to either come up with our own money or ask for help from the Fire Foundation through donations. These donations typically come from businesses or individuals within each fire station district. At 44’s, we have had no donors in the last 7 years since I’ve been here. While the Fire Foundation has been gracious in finding other money to help us when they can, it’s been tough to get everything we need done.
With your generous donation, we will finally be able to complete our fire station gymnasium and replace our antiquated station tools with modern, up-to-date equipment. Purchasing gym equipment and tools has been prohibitively expensive. You at the Independent Jewelers Organization have solved that problem.
Please think of this as a 20-year investment in 44’s physical and mental wellness. We take excellent care of our equipment and tools, so we will make it last. So, on behalf of Fire Station 44 and all its members... Thank you very much, and we appreciate your help!!!"