By Joey McWilliams
CALERA – Bryan County residents haven’t forgotten about the people in southeast Texas whose lives were affected by Hurricane Harvey.
The student council at Calera High School has been involved in sending supplies and more that way since late August. They have been following the example of Calera Police Chief Donnie Hyde, according to the co-chair of the CHS Student Council, Debbie Moore.
“The idea originated from Officer Hyde when he put on Facebook that he was going to try to fill up a trailer to take down immediately, right after the hurricane hit,” Moore said. “Calee Boone, our president, had family members who go to school down in that area and the school is shut down indefinitely for repairs. And everything that was in the lockers at the school is going to have to be thrown in the trash.
“So she said, ‘Can’t we just gather up school supplies?’ Well, that idea of school supplies turned into monetary donations from pretty much each of the members of the student council and other staff members and then kids just started bringing in school supplies left and right till we were able to fill up the back end of a suburban with school supplies.”
Along with Rick’s Boots in Calera, Hyde brought in the first donation of $100 for the group. The student council was able to purchase baby supplies, dog food and personal care products that were sent down with Hyde.
“And we’ve had several items of tangible goods donated by the citizens of Calera and the students have brought in just tons of stuff,” Moore said.
By the time the group had raised another $345, another opportunity opened up.
“Then we a student council member whose grandmother just happens to be in contact with the manager at Walmart. And what they did at Walmart was give us pennies on the dollar for what we purchased. We ended up getting $1,400 worth of school supplies and paid one-tenth of the price on that.”
Calee Boone, a senior who has been in the Calera school system since pre-K, said it felt good to be able to do this.
“It shows how everyone as a whole and as communities are coming together to help out people in need,” Boone said. “I have some family down there and I knew that whenever I saw those posts on social media and saw they needed that we needed to do something. It really means a lot to me considering I have ties and roots down there.
“It warms my heart for my family and friends down there who are getting help from all over the nation.”
Moore said they have more money still to be sent that way and are considering where would be best to send it.
The CHS Student Council is still receiving donations to help the ongoing cause.
“Anybody who would like to make any other donations can make out the check to Calera School and put in the donation that it’s for hurricane relief,” Moore said. “100 percent of that money will go down to hurricane victims.”