The UCLA Luskin Conference Center became a hub of support and community for those displaced by the Southern California fires in January. As reported by the UCLA Newsroom opens a new window, the UCLA softball team, known for their NCAA success, distributed athletic apparel to evacuees, including more than two dozen boxes of T-shirts, sweatshirts and sweatpants, many branded with "UCLA softball."
The team was only on the second day of practice for the season when the fires started in Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7.
Displaced residents, including those who lost their homes and those still unable to return, found solace and community at the Luskin Conference Center while connecting with mutual aid law enforcement from UC Merced, members of UCLA Fire and the softball team.
Jordan Woolery, a third-year student and infielder, emphasized the pride in representing UCLA and the importance of showing support during such isolating times. The team, which relocated their practices due to the fires, found a renewed sense of gratitude and giving through this experience.
“I think as a team, we were able to develop an attitude of more gratitude and giving,” Woolery said. “Especially as (the) season nears, we often get caught up in tunnel vision of what’s ahead for us, but this gave us a chance to slow down and give back and help those who have been deeply impacted by the fires.”
