People in Lubbock organized a relief effort Friday to help victims of wildfires across the Panhandle.
“People don’t realize, when these ranchers lose their cattle, it takes years and years to rebuild a bloodline and good cattle that produce beef,” Relief Organizer Chance Britt said, “It’s going to be a lengthy healing process, so as many trips as we need to make, we’re willing to make that trip.”
Just days after deadly fires, Britt decided to use the resources at his trucking company to help.
“What we’re looking for is non-perishable items, baby wipes, eye drops…there’s a lot of dry eyes up there with all the smoke and gas, also Gatorade and water for the firemen and firefighters, beef jerky…anything that’s non-perishable.”
Britt said he’ll take the items he collects to small ranches near Amarillo.
“These are our neighbors, and we need to drop what we’re doing at times to help our neighbors and show them that we love them enough to help them in their time of need…It just was a thing that I felt like I have the tools, and I wanted to do what I could to reach out and help.”
Package Plus Manager Madison Bryan said drop-off locations around town filled with donations on day one.
“It seemed like it was almost immediately after I had gotten word, there was a lady that came in about 10a.m. bringing a couple of loads of water…It makes my heart really happy, just seeing the response that Lubbock’s been giving, just how willing people are to jump right on it and help.”
Britt said for the folks who can’t give anything tangible, prayers and love is most important.
“Growing up in West Texas, I always expect nothing more than us to bond together, and that’s what makes Texas the great state it is, the Lonestar State, the shining state, nothing greater than West Texans coming together.”
If you’d like to donate, drop-off locations are:
Package Plus, M-F 9am-6pm and Saturday 10am-6pm
Parent Life, Saturday 6am-8pm, Sunday 2-4pm and Monday 10am-3pm
Party Plus Warehouse, M-F 10am-5pm
