Friends of Last Chance

By Melinda MacNaughton

Hello Last Chance. I grew up on South Pine and my folks lived there for many years after I moved on. Some of you might remember them, Jim and Mary George. My mom was a huge horse person, she started Last Chance 4-H Club and had quite a few of the kids ride with her and Emma McCrary. 

My dad was often part of fixing the old fire truck at the community center and anything else you might ask him about….and he worked on the Road Association. 

I was lucky to be able to return to my beloved mountain in 2003 with my own kids and live on the land with my folks for bit before moving into Boulder Creek. 

When the fire started in the Waddell, I knew this was the one my dad had always worried about. He made us practice our escape. Had we been there for this one… that escape wouldn’t have helped much. 

I have spent the better part of my adult life in the San Lorenzo Valley and today ran into a fellow Last Chancer at my work… she is displaced and hanging in the SLV for now….we got to talking and she invited me to this page – Friends of Last Chance facebook.com/groups/776215059778155.

As awful as the fire was in SLV and as many of my friends and family have lost everything here… my heart hurt more as I found out about my true home…. Last Chance and Swanton. I literally grew up between Ben’s house just past the Little Red School House and the top of Pine Mountain.  I learned about birth, death, love and loss on that 6 miles of dirt road. I dug my toes into the mud by the creeks and my heels into the side hills on my way down…. I learned to drive on Last Chance Road… every scary, rutted, muddy road I have ever faced since leaving Last Chance has stood no chance of intimidating me! 

I am so honored to be with you again. I love you even if you don’t know me…. cuz that’s how we roll.  I send healing light and love to you all and hope to watch as you grow again from the ashes. #lastchancestrong

Photo by Anil Prajapati. Gate at Last Chance Road, Swanton, California