Fallen Yarnell 19 Hotshots, Asian American Community Donates $1,000 to100 Club of Ariz

　　　　　　　　　　By Barry Wong, Co-chair of Fundraising Committee

A year has passed since the tragic Yarnell fire that felled 19 Granite Mountain Hotshot Firefighters, but the emotional wounds continue for surviving family members.

Fateful Day. You may recall last June 30th: a wildfire in Yarnell, Arizona was growing larger by the hour when the ”SWAT”　team of firefighters, Granite Mountain Hotshots, was dispatched to control and eventually put out the fire; without warning, weather conditions changed causing towering walls of flames to envelope the Hotshots eventually taking all 19 lives.

In the aftermath of this tragedy, communities and organizations from Arizona and across the country along with fellow firefighters near and far rallied to pay tribute to the fallen and raised needed funds to support the surviving families. The Asian American Community of Maricopa County was among those groups lending emotional and financial support; the Community collectively raised $11,000.

Asian Americans Raise Funds. Within couple weeks following the tragedy the Filipino-American Community collected and donated $1,000 to the Phoenix-based 100 Club of Arizona (www.100Club.org) in support of fallen firefighters. Asian American Community leaders in Maricopa County wanted to do more so they formed a fundraising committee, chaired by Ms. Mai Le (Vice President External Affairs, Vietnamese Community of Arizona, and President of TNT Radio Arizona) and co-chaired by Ms. Maribel Dillard (then-President, Arizona Asian American Association) and Mr. Barry Wong (former Arizona Legislator and Corporation Commissioner). The Fundraising Committee, through its chair and co-chairs, raised $9,000 and presented the funds at an October ceremony in Prescott at Fire Station 71 to Prescott Fire Fighters Charities.

Remember 1 Year. A year later, the Fundraising Committee, desiring to recognize the anniversary of the tragedy, donated another $1,000 to the 100 Club of Arizona. At a Check Presentation Ceremony on July 30, 2014 at the 100 Club of Arizona office, Fundraising Committee Co-chairs Ms. Dillard and Mr. Wong presented the funds to Ms. Sharon Knutson-Felix, Executive Director of the 100 Club of Arizona. Other community leaders joining in the presentation were Mr. Chuong Tran (Vice President Internal Affairs, Vietnamese Community of Arizona) and Mr. Albert Lin (President, Arizona Asian American Association). Detective Christopher Abril, Phoenix Police Department Community Relations Bureau’s Liaison to the Asian American community, was also present.

A special guest at the Ceremony was Ms. Suzanne Wagner, Mother of fallen Hotshot Garret Zuppiger. She was touched by the generosity of the Asian American Community of Maricopa County, and said that the emotions of her loss continues even after a year but the memories of her son lives on.

The tragedy in Yarnell, Arizona has passed but the memories of the fallen 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots will live forever.

Presentation Ceremony at 100 Club of Ariz. (l-r) Barry Wong (Co-chair), Sharon Knutson-Felix (Executive Director, 100 Club) and Maribel Dillard (Co-chair)

Presentation Ceremony at 100 Club of Ariz. (l-r) Det. Chris Abril, Barry Wong (Co-chair), Chuong Tran, Sharon Knutson-Felix (Executive Director, 100 Club), Suzanne Wagner (Mother of fallen Hotshot), Maribel Dillard (Co-chair) and Albert Lin