Police help hero's family rebuild home

Shafter Police Chief Kevin Zimmermann and Bryceton Patterson, president of the Shafter Police Officer Association, joined other volunteers from Kern County to participate in "Rebuild Day" Saturday at the home of Nina Barraza. Barraza is the mother of local hero Ricky Barraza, who was killed in the Middle East.while serving in the military.

Several volunteers gathered at the Barraza family home to refurbish the property and help Rebuild Kern County. Representatives from T.J. Cox's office, as well as representatives of Assemblymember Rudy Salas and state Sen. Shannon Grove, were on hand to help participate in Rebuild Day.

Chief Zimmermann said that it was an honor to be a part of this event. "The Barraza family has become such an important part of our community identity in Shafter, and the members of the Shafter Police Department only hope to continue to honor Staff Sergeant Barraza's memory."

The Rebuilding Together movement started in 1973 when a group of neighbors in Midland, Texas, saw that some of the homes in their neighborhood had fallen into disrepair and the neighbors could not afford to fix them on their own. A group banded together and volunteered their time and skills, and rehabilitated their neighbors' homes.

Today, there are over 140 affiliates and over 10,000 homes and community centers are rehabilitated every year across the nation.

Rebuilding Together Kern County began in 2008 and volunteers have rehabbed houses for over a dozen families, making it possible for them to stay in their homes.

"We here at the Shafter Police Department are honored to contribute to such a wonderful project," Zimmermann said.