In a heartening display of community action, students from Fossil Ridge High School in Keller, Texas, have stepped up in a big way to support the victims of the destructive wildfires consuming the state's Panhandle. The school's volleyball team initiated a significant donation drive, gathering necessary items for those affected by the blaze.
The mobilization for this cause began when a parent with family in the Panhandle reached out to see if the school could lend a hand, the response garnered has been immensely positive. "The response here at Fossil Ridge High School, as I knew it would be, has been great," Coach Hollie Huston told The Dallas Express. The collection is anticipated to grow, with classes competing to contribute the most, and the school aims to "fill the buses up."
Volunteers, including the volleyball team, were at the school on Monday to collect items such as non-perishable food, hygiene supplies, baby items, and sports drinks for both victims and firefighters battling the flames. The community-wide effort is clear, with donations being accepted until 4 p.m. each afternoon through Wednesday. "We’re hoping it will really pick up, and we can fill the buses up. And that would be a great problem to have is to not have enough room for all the stuff," said Huston in an interview with Fox 4 News.
The Smokehouse Creek fire alone, just one of the rampant wildfires, has scorched more than a million acres, positioning it as the largest wildfire in Texas's storied history. Currently, it is 87% contained, with the Texas A&M Forest Service reporting a forecast that, fortunately, does not project an increased threat for additional unmanageable wildfires through the following Sunday.
Amid this crisis, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued disaster declarations for 60 counties, underscoring the gravity of the situation. "When you look at the damages that have occurred here it’s just gone, completely gone, nothing left but ashes on the ground," Abbott conveyed at a press conference covered by NPR. This disaster has not only consumed land but also the livelihoods and memories tethered to it, leaving in its wake a call to action that the students of Fossil Ridge High School have fearlessly answered.
