After the devastating windstorm that severely damaged National Chung Cheng University (CCU), cleanup and restoration efforts are still ongoing. Following the first wave of post-disaster action on July 12 led by Tzu Chi volunteers together with CCU faculty and students, a second team of volunteers returned to campus on July 13 for another round of cleanup. What touched everyone most were the heartwarming, intergenerational stories that unfolded throughout the day. Notably, the coordinator of the Tzu Chi Youth Volunteers this time was a CCU doctoral student from the Department of Electrical Engineering, embodying the true spirit of collaboration between the university and Tzu Chi.

Over the two days, people of all ages, from inside and outside the university, joined hands to help, demonstrating a powerful collective spirit that transcended generations and communities. One CCU faculty member brought along her 1.5-year-old and 3.5-year-old children to participate, while the university’s Secretary General joined with her entire family, showing the strength of unity and love for their campus. One particularly touching story came from a mother who traveled all the way from Keelung with her three young children (the youngest was just five years old) and their 85-year-old grandmother. The four generations working side by side became one of the day’s most moving scenes.

Among the volunteers, a Tzu Chi family from Taichung drew special attention. Both parents were Tzu Chi volunteers, and their two daughters proudly donned the Tzu Chi youth uniforms to help with cleanup. The younger sister, who was only eight years old, bent down alongside her parents and sister to gather fallen branches and debris. When asked, “Aren’t you tired?” she nodded honestly and said, “Yes.” Her simple yet sincere response reflected the purest form of compassion—despite her fatigue, she was still willing to give her all. Through her small but heartfelt efforts, she carried forward her family’s legacy of kindness and brought a touch of innocence and warmth to the recovering CCU campus.

Three CCU alumni, all former members of the university’s Tzu Chi Collegiate Association, also returned to help with the post-disaster cleanup. Many current faculty members and students joined in as well, pledging to continue supporting campus restoration in the coming weeks. Some professors, unable to participate in person, contributed meal funds to ensure that volunteers could eat well and stay energized, showing that care and generosity can take many forms.

CCU President Shaw-Jenq Tsai remarked, “Disasters serve as a mirror, reflecting the deepest connections and mutual care among people. Seeing so many families come together—the fathers carrying infants on their backs, the three generations traveling from Keelung, the alumni returning to their alma mater—deeply moved us all. Each of them embodies the true spirit of ‘doing good together and growing together.’”

Since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between CCU and the Tzu Chi Foundation in 2024, both sides have continued to cooperate in areas such as environmental protection, emergency relief, and disaster prevention. When Typhoon Danas, the first typhoon to make landfall in Chiayi in a century struck, CCU and Tzu Chi promptly launched a joint response—demonstrating the strength of their partnership and setting a model for a resilient campus. In the sweltering days following the storm, Tzu Chi volunteers and the CCU community worked side by side—not only clearing debris but also sowing the seeds of compassion, resilience, and hope for the land and the future.