Their former neighbors lost their homes, and the communities where they grew up were devastated. Family and friends fled as the wildfire flames and near-hurricane-force winds shattered windows, hurling debris through their living rooms.
For University of Virginia Darden School of Business students Madelyn Merchant and Bella Martin, the destructive Los Angeles wildfires hit especially close to home. So, although they’re more than 2,000 miles away in Charlottesville, they decided to make a difference.
On Thursday, the students joined others from the Darden School and the local community to raise an estimated $10,000 in a wildfire relief fundraiser at Three Notch’d Brewery.
The event featured a raffle and silent auction, with items local businesses and Darden School alumni donated. Proceeds are intended to go directly to the Los Angeles Fire Department and families affected by the tragedy.

Darden School students Bell Martin, left, and Madelyn Merchant say the fires destroyed much of the communities in which they grew up. They teamed up with fellow Los Angeles natives Lindsay Saldebar, Nick McConnell, Max Beller and Austin Roye to raise funds to help with recovery efforts. (Contributed photos)
“This fundraiser has validated why I chose this school,” Martin said. “The people here genuinely care about one another. One person’s suffering becomes another’s opportunity to lend a helping hand.”
Merchant grew up in La Cañada Flintridge, a town neighboring Pasadena and Altadena, areas severely impacted by the fires. Though her parents recently moved away, her former neighbors in Altadena lost their homes. Schools, restaurants and businesses she cherished were destroyed.
After the fires, she went home to see the damage firsthand.
“Driving through Altadena was apocalyptic,” she said. “Rows of chimneys looked like headstones. Entire streets were wiped out, leaving only rubble where homes once stood. The destruction is unfathomable.”
Merchant described local crews’ efforts to restore power and repair infrastructure in her hometown, which had been thrown into chaos. Despite the devastation, she found hope in the resilience of the Pasadena, Altadena and La Cañada Flintridge communities.
For Martin, the fires that ravaged Altadena, her childhood hometown, left a deep emotional scar. Her family narrowly avoided the flames. Her childhood home sits just two blocks from the burn line and her grandmother’s house is across the street from a fully destroyed block of homes.

The destructive wildfires near Los Angeles that turned whole neighborhoods into ash and cinders are more than just news stories for the students, faculty and community members who grew up in those communities. (Photo by Madelyn Merchant)
She also mourned the loss of community landmarks, from the nature camp where she spent six summers as a counselor to churches, schools and small businesses that defined her community’s character.
“I’ve watched friends lose everything,” Martin said. “One friend sat helplessly as her backyard ignited, while another was jolted awake as debris shattered through her living room. My heart breaks for the children with no home to return to and no school to find comfort in.”
Merchant, Martin and others played roles in organizing the Three Notch’d event, collecting donations for the raffle and silent auction. They spent hours walking door-to-door in Charlottesville, pitching the fundraiser to local businesses.
The response was overwhelming.
“Before I could even finish explaining, many businesses turned around to start printing gift cards or pulling items off shelves to donate,” Merchant said.
Contributions included dining vouchers, yoga classes, handmade products, and even items from Darden School alumni-founded startups. The generosity of the local and Darden School communities was a significant source of encouragement for the students.