Saturday, July 11, 2026

Fifty Venues Said No. Despite That, They Persisted, And Monday, Their Camp for Fire-Affected Kids Opens

From left, Healing Hoops Altadena co-founders Ryden Shiozaki, Ryder Wong and Ethan Kim. [Courtesy]

Three Maranatha High juniors spent months searching for a gym willing to host Healing Hoops Altadena before the Pasadena Tabernacle agreed

Before a single child dribbles a ball at Healing Hoops Altadena on Monday, its three teenage founders had already been turned down or priced out by roughly 50 venues — a three-month search, by co-founder Ryder Wong’s count, that ended only when the Pasadena Tabernacle said yes.

The camp those months produced is a free, five-day basketball and wellness program for children ages 8 to 12 affected by the Eaton Fire, running July 13 through 17 at the Pasadena Tabernacle Corps Community Center, 960 E. Walnut St. Wong and his fellow Maranatha High School juniors, Ryden Shiozaki and Ethan Kim, built it around a simple pairing: basketball each morning, alongside activities meant to steady kids who lost homes, schools and routines when the fire tore through Altadena in January 2025.

Sessions run daily from 9 to 11 a.m. Each day features a basketball workshop and activities designed to “instill calm and creativity in the youngsters, such as art therapy and yoga,” according to the camp’s announcement. First-timers and experienced players alike can attend.

Wong described the venue search in an interview with Pasadena Now: about 50 pitches over three months, each ending in a no or a price the teenagers could not meet. The Tabernacle’s community center was the one that worked.

The idea itself came from closer to home. Shiozaki’s family house burned to the ground in the fire and the family lost everything, according to the announcement.

“We want to use basketball to help kids in Altadena who were impacted by the fire,” Shiozaki said in the announcement. “Basketball has always been a constant in our lives, and we feel it can be a tool for healing, connection and building confidence.”

The founders are members of the Dragon Kim Foundation’s 2026 Fellowship class. The Orange County-based nonprofit, established in 2015, provides high school students with training, mentorship and community service grants to launch local impact projects. The Eaton Fire the campers lived through destroyed more than 9,000 structures in and around Altadena and ranks as the second-most destructive wildfire in California history, according to Cal Fire.

Amber Serafin, the foundation’s program director, said the project stood out among this year’s fellowship selections for its relevance to the fire’s impact on Altadena and surrounding areas. “Over the past 6 months, I’ve watched all three of these young men grow tremendously in both their confidence and their leadership,” Serafin said in written responses to Pasadena Now. “They’ve become more confident in their ability to make a meaningful difference, and their passion for serving others has only deepened.”

“We are proud of these three civic-minded teens who are devoting part of their summer to helping other young people heal from this devastating tragedy,” she said.

The week ends with a free public wrap-up event on July 18 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Pasadena Boys and Girls Club, Mackenzie-Scott Branch, 2020 N. Fair Oaks Ave. The event will include basketball, wellness activities, guest speakers and a raffle, the announcement said — and a photographer will take complimentary family portraits, meant to replace the ones that burned.

Sponsorship opportunities remain available for organizations interested in the daily camp or workshops, according to the announcement. Information is available at lesleychinen@gmail.com, (310) 710-9426, or @healinghoopsaltadena on Instagram.

Fifty noes, by Wong’s count, over three months. Monday at 9 a.m., the one yes opens its doors.