As if the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t enough to complicate everyday life, the rash of fires raging in Northern California—resulting in unhealthy air quality, loss of property, and worse, death—poses another serious challenge to area residents. Fortunately, the ongoing fire activity has had limited effect on the operations at Chico State. But that hasn’t stopped Wildcat student-athletes Sara Mitrano and Reilani Peleti from taking time out from their virtual studies to go the extra mile to aid hard-working firelighters and law enforcement agencies battling the nearby North Complex Fire. The efforts of the two softball standouts make them the latest Wildcats of the Week.
Mitrano and Peleti are part of a team of workers at Chico’s Italian Guys Catering preparing, transporting, and serving meals to individuals fighting the North Complex Fire, aiding with evacuations, and keeping the peace in the area’s most volatile locations.
“It’s rewarding to help out people who are risking their lives trying to keep community safe,” Mitrano said. “What they’re doing is extremely hard and involves long hours, so I figure if they can (put it the extra effort), then so can I.”
Paul and Erik Lema, the owners of Italian Guys Catering, have distributed several thousand meals to firefighting efforts dating back to 2018’s Camp Fire. In addition to firefighters battling the North Complex Fire, meals are made available to area police and sheriff’s deputies, search and rescue crews, and National Guard troops.
Mitrano works several days a week, getting to Italian Guys Catering at 3 a.m. to prepare and box breakfasts, driving them to Oroville, and delivering the food to Loafer Creek Campground near Lake Oroville. Peleti works several afternoon shifts per week, preparing dinners that she helps transport to Oroville to feed firefighters and law enforcement officials.
“I really enjoy doing it because everyone is so appreciative,” Peleti said. “Some of the people we serve are a long way from home. We’ve served law enforcement officers from as far away as Los Angeles, so I feel it’s the least I can do.”
When the two Wildcats are done delivering meals, they drive back to Chico and begin prepping food for the next serving cycle. Mitrano tackles lunch preparation, while Peleti concentrates on assembling breakfasts for the following day.
Despite the extra hours aiding in area firefighting efforts, both Mitrano and Peleti are doing a good job keeping up with their Chico State studies.
“It’s like mimicking the hours I’d be putting in playing softball in the fall,” Mitrano said. “Being an athlete, I know how to prepare for the extra workload. It makes me more accountable and forces me to do my homework. It’s hard, but softball has trained me to take on all this.”
Peleti agrees. “Time management is always a challenge, but I like to stay busy,” she said. “I’m just trying to take it day by day.”
The two ’Cats were in the middle of what was shaping up to be a historic 2020 softball season when COVID-19 brought everything to a screeching halt in mid-March. Chico State was 19-2 when competition ceased, and ended the abbreviated season ranked No. 2 in the nation.
Though they miss being on campus and the many aspects of college life prohibited by the pandemic, both Mitrano and Peleti are staying in close contact with teammates and coaches through calls and Zoom meetings. It has helped reinforce the significance of Wildcat Family and the chance the team will return to competition in 2021.
“I’m really trying to stay positive,” Mitrano said. “I turn to my teammates to keep my hopes up. I’m still preparing, staying in shape, and holding out hope we’ll be playing again next spring.”
