by Sadie Newman and Evan Chambers, EGLZ News
Hurricane Harvey was an immensely devastating hurricane that touched down on the Atlantic coast on August 27, 2017. The wreckage Harvey left behind put many people in a desperate position. Tens of thousands of families were left scattered across the country. They were forced to go to different towns in order to find safety. In these dark times, all we can do is help. Upon hearing the news of this heartbreaking event, the FJH interact club visited Aransas Pass, TX to drop off the donations gathered by the Fairfield community.
The Texas Gulf Coast was hit extremely hard by Harvey. Aransas Pass, Texas was one community out of many which was deeply affected by the hurricane. The eye of the hurricane hit Aransas Pass hard and stayed there for a long time. Not only were homes destroyed, but all schools within the community had to remain closed for at least month. Students were dispersed throughout the state of Texas, hoping they could find a new school district to go to.
Evan Chavers and a group of his classmates decided that they wanted to help this community. They came up with the idea of collecting school supplies that were needed by hurricane victims. Over a period of 3 weeks, the Fairfield Junior High Interact Club was able to collect 25 boxes of toiletries and various school supplies to donate to Aransas Pass ISD.
On October 13, Evan Chavers and Addie Cox traveled with their moms to deliver the school supplies to Charlie Marshall Elementary School. Veronica Johnson, APISD school board member, and other staff members were there to greet them. They learned that most schools were opening the next week, so the supplies were greatly appreciated. “We are a closer community than ever,” the school counselor stated.
After Evan and Addie delivered supplies, they decided to drive through town and were shocked at what they saw. The effects of the hurricane were visible around every corner. When asked how they felt about this experience, Evan stated, “It’s sad to think that so many people lost their homes and the opportunity to see their friends all at once. I can’t even imagine how hard that must be.” Thank you to all who helped with donations for the Hurricane Harvey Drive.
