KATIE VINCENT
Dahse, Ella, and Holton Vincent, joined by Ali and Reese Thayne, Kylie and Payton Dodson, and Madelyn and Maycie Martin, invite Hurricane Laura relief donations for the community of Sulphur, La., Sept. 5 at The Shed in La Vernia. Former Sulphur resident Katie Vincent organized the donation drive, which raised more than $10,000 in four days last week.
In the dark of the pre-dawn hours on Labor Day, a truck and trailer left La Vernia.
Now, that’s not an unusual event, given that we live in the country.
But there was something different and very special about this departure — it carried the generosity, love, and prayers of folks in and around La Vernia, and was headed for Sulphur, La., a city devastated by Hurricane Laura just two weeks ago.
What sparked the folks in La Vernia to reach out to help the storm-ravaged community?
Katie Vincent and her husband, Chase, own and operate The Shed coffee shop in La Vernia and CV’s Seafood Shack, a food truck.
Sulphur is Chase’s hometown, and was the couple’s home until 10 years ago.
“It’s near and dear to our hearts,” Katie explained.
When Hurricane Laura threatened the Gulf Coast, Chase’s family members evacuated to La Vernia. After the storm cleared, they went home to pick up the pieces of their lives; Chase went with them.
The city was hit hard. Damages from Hurricane Laura, which hit as a Category 4 storm in the early morning hours Aug. 27, are estimated at $12 billion in southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas.
Katie’s friend, Jenny Finch, an Olympic Gold medal-winning softball player and resident of Sulphur, posted a video on her Facebook page.
Katie shared it on her own Facebook page, to let people know how things really are in Louisiana since the storm hit.
“It was so raw, so real,” Katie said.
Soon, she was being flooded by messages on social media, by text, from all around.
“What can we do to help?” everyone wanted to know.
“Chase’s mom used to volunteer with Care Help, a Christian organization in Sulphur,” Katie explained. “His granny still volunteers there.”
With its mission statement of, “To express the love of God through ministry to those in need, by supplying short-term assistance and promoting life skills,” Care Help of Sulphur would know what was needed and how to get it to the people in most need. The organization operates a thrift store, offers help for job-seekers, and has a schedule of programs to help those in need year-round.
“We’re grateful for anything,” Katie was told when she called. Although money would be great, they’re too swamped with needs to get anywhere to buy food, cleaning materials, or other items. What would be better, Katie was told, would be donations of non-perishable foods and water — on pallets, that can be dispensed as people drive by.
“I thought, we’ll raise a couple of thousand dollars,” Katie said.
She posted some flyers and shared the needs via social media.
KATIE VINCENT
A truck stuffed with clothing, baby items, cleaning materials, and more, hauling a trailer loaded with 10 pallets of food and bottled water, leaves La Vernia in the early hours of Labor Day, headed to Sulphur, La., which was devastated by Hurricane Laura two weeks ago.
“Four days later, and we’re at $10,000,” she shared, amazed.
She and two couples who stepped up to help reached out to various sources, to see where they could best utilize the funds.
Through Sam’s Club, they purchased a pallet of Frito-Lay products, canned chili, Vienna sausages, canned pasta, snack crackers, peanut butter, and more. They also purchased some gift cards to send. H-E-B donated a pallet of bottled water.
And on Sept. 5, they parked a cargo trailer at The Shed, and invited community members to contribute other needed items — from diapers and baby wipes, to cleaning supplies, personal care items, hand sanitizer, mosquito spray, paper goods, clothing, and more.
“The donations have been incredible!” Katie marveled. “It would just melt your heart.”
Drivers Cody Barlow and Kenneth Dodson left La Vernia at 5 a.m. Monday, arriving later that day in Sulphur.
“They had no words to describe the devastation,” Katie said. “One of them spoke to a lineman from Florida, who said he’s worked in disaster relief for 20 years and has never seen such devastation.”
Homes and businesses have been damaged and some destroyed. Power still hasn’t been restored to the area, and may not be for several weeks, according to a social media post by the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury. Residents are being asked to conserve water, and the wastewater system — which needs power to function fully — is in jeopardy. The National Guard is handing out food, water, and tarps, and its members have been camping in tents at Care Help in Sulphur. A curfew is in place.
Although there were some news stories in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Laura, “It’s not making much national news” now, Katie said, adding that the people in Sulphur remain in great need.
The donations from La Vernia will help meet some of those needs.
“La Vernia is just incredible!” Katie exclaimed. “They’re givers — a big-hearted community, for sure.”
Helping comes naturally
For Katie and Chase Vincent, giving is second nature.
The trailer-load of aid for the community of Sulphur, La., isn’t the first time they’ve responded to need.
As the pandemic brought fear and restrictions in the spring, the Vincents partnered with local realtor Chris Jacobs, who spearheaded a donation campaign to show appreciation to first responders, health-care workers, and law-enforcement, and aid local families in need and businesses impacted by the coronavirus. They offered free coffee to first responders at The Shed. Through their other business, CV’s Seafood Shack, they provided discounted meals.
The numbers add up to generosity!
The trailer-load of donations sent from La Vernia Sept. 7 to help the folks in Sulphur, La., really stacked up!
Here’s how the donation drive measured up:
•More than $10,000 in food on pallets was purchased from Sam’s Club in San Antonio
•The pallet of water donated by H-E-B weighed more than 2,000 pounds
•10 pallets of food items.
"load" - Google News
September 10, 2020 at 01:52AM
https://ift.tt/2Rcrzr4
Four days, $10000, and a trailer-load of hurricane relief - La Vernia News
"load" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2SURvcJ
https://ift.tt/3bWWEYd
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Four days, $10000, and a trailer-load of hurricane relief - La Vernia News"
Post a Comment