The Los Angeles Lakers are joining forces with other sports organizations from the city in an effort to assist those impacted by the devastating wildfires in Hawaii.
On Thursday, the Lakers announced that they, along with teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Sparks and others, will be donating $450,000 to support the American Red Cross as it helps those in need in Hawaii.
The Lakers held training camp in Hawaii for over 25 years and have played preseason games there. They also held a “Showtime” reunion on Maui in 2022.
The effort also acknowledges the large Hawaiian population in Southern California.
The death toll has risen to over 100 victims as a result of the wildfires. The cause of the wildfires, the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century, is under investigation. Signs of recovery are starting to emerge, with public schools across Maui reopening and welcoming displaced students from Lahaina. Traffic has also resumed on a major road.
Other Los Angeles area teams participating in the effort include the Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers of MLB, Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams of the NFL, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings of the NHL, Los Angeles Galaxy and Los Angeles Football Club of MLS and Angel City Football Club of the NWSL.
The cooperation is an encouraging sign among some rivals across the major U.S. sports, and several of the teams also have significant ties to the state of Hawaii.
The Rams played a preseason game in Hawaii as recently as 2019, and the Dodgers opened a baseball and softball training academy there last year. The Galaxy also held a training camp on the islands prior to winning the 2005 MLS Cup.
Anyone interested in donating to the American Red Cross to support the relief efforts can find details at redcross.org.
