【Los Angeles, USA – August 8】 Three wildfires that began on Maui Island, Hawaii on August 8 are still not completely extinguished. Among them, the most severe and deadliest, the Lahaina Fire, has been fully contained, but it has already claimed at least 115 lives, with 66 people still missing. More than 2,200 buildings have been destroyed, leaving tens of thousands of residents and animals displaced.

While wildfires are merciless, there is love in the human world. To help the affected residents and animals, Cheryl Ku, a senior at Diamond Bar High School, along with a group of Chinese American students, have rallied parents to organize a charity sale and fundraising event on September 17. The proceeds will be donated to the Maui Humane Society, which specializes in animal rescue, and the Maui Food Bank, which helps the public.

At a press conference on September 14, Cheryl Ku, Jerry Ku, Susanna Liang, and Nicolas Liu, along with their families, met with Southern California Chinese-language media to promote the charity sale and fundraising event, and urged adults and peers to participate generously in supporting the disaster-stricken residents and animals. Mary Su, former Mayor of Walnut, was present at the event to express her strong support and encouragement.


Cheryl Ku, a Diamond Bar High School student, and her fellow organizers, Jerry Ku, Jocob Chen, Susanna Liang, and Nicolas Liu, have come together to launch the Maui Island wildfire charity sale and fundraising event.

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The charity sale and fundraising event will take place on Sunday, September 17, at 2 PM at the Walnut Senior Center. The event will feature items such as beautiful orchid arrangements, high-quality scarves, clothing, and household goods for sale, and everyone is encouraged to support the cause.


Cheryl Ku emphasized, "My family and I have been vacationing in Maui since I was two years old. Maui has become like a second home to us, a beautiful and comfortable vacation destination that brings joy and wonderful memories to people from all over the world. When I heard about the severe wildfires in Maui that have devastated the island, I was deeply saddened. I also decided to help the homeless residents and the poor animals rebuild their homes. All the funds we raise through our charity sale will be donated to the Maui Humane Society and Maui Food Bank."

When the Maui Island wildfires occurred, Cheryl Ku and her family happened to be on Oahu Island in Hawaii, and they heard and witnessed the scenes at that time, prompting them to provide help for their second home and the disaster-stricken residents and animals. She hopes that this charity sale and donation event will raise $20,000 and inspire more donations.

It is known that the Maui Island wildfires have left approximately 3,000 animals (pets) homeless, and efforts to return these animals to their homes are ongoing.


After Cheryl Ku initiated the action, Jerry Ku, Jocob Chen, and other partners also decided to plan an event to help rebuild Maui Island's homes and immediately joined the planning team to find sponsors, create promotional materials, make posters for the event, and donation boxes. Later, Susanna Liang, a freshman at Walnut High School, also joined the team to help find supporting businesses.

Jerry Ku, 15, is Cheryl Ku's younger brother, and their family has left their mark on most of Hawaii's main islands. As Cheryl said, "Maui has really become like a second home to us." With almost all of Maui Island devastated by the wildfires, and disaster-stricken residents and animals displaced and struggling, both siblings empathize deeply. Therefore, the charity sale and fundraising event initiated by Cheryl is something their family naturally actively participates in and supports.



Susanna Liang, a freshman at Walnut High School, said, "From a young age, my parents taught me to be willing to help others and actively assist those in need. Being able to participate in the Maui wildfire charity sale and fundraising event is very meaningful to me. I am also very happy to contribute my efforts."


Nicolas Liu, the youngest at eighth grade in Sharplo Middle School, joined the organizing team immediately upon hearing about this meaningful event. Nicolas stated, "Although I am only an eighth grader, I hope to lead my younger brother and friends to participate in this event. Just like my name, '思源' (which means 'thinking of the source of water' in Chinese), we are fortunate to have such a beautiful living environment, and it is a grace, so we should give back to society. We also want the residents of Maui Island to know that they are not alone, our hearts are with them, and our strength is with them."。

Mary Su, former Mayor of Walnut, remarked, "Seeing this group of energetic children with such a strong sense of social responsibility and taking practical actions is very moving! They are great role models for young people."


Mary Su, former Mayor of Walnut, remarked, "Seeing this group of energetic children with such a strong sense of social responsibility and taking practical actions is very moving! They are great role models for young people."

In addition to the five main student organizers and co-organizers, on Sunday, September 17, the Chinese Parents Association of Walnut High School and Sharplo Middle School will mobilize more than 100 parents and students to participate in the event. At the same time, more than ten small and medium-sized businesses in Diamond Bar and Walnut will also join forces to support Maui with their contributions.


As parents of Cheryl Ku and Jerry Ku, the chairman of the Diamond Bar Chinese Association and chairman of Adesso Inc., Allen Ku and his wife express their full support for the September 17 event. They also call for widespread publicity to encourage more people and businesses to participate and contribute their love and generosity to the disaster-stricken residents and animals of Maui Island.