A severe drought and high winds on Labor Day weekend set the conditions for, what many are calling, the worst wildfires in Central Texas history. According to the Texas Forest Service the Bastrop fire destroyed about 1,500 homes. Shortly thereafter, Environmental Corps (E-Corps) and Casa Verde Builders (CVB), both AmeriCorps programs at American YouthWorks, and Washington Conservation Corps members, traveled to Bastrop to respond to the devastation.
Chelsea Bodamer, an E-Corps member, shared the experience thus far for the AmeriCorps teams.
“Since our arrival in Bastrop, we have worked hard to establish a long-term system for volunteering and collecting donations. Part of this system involves working closely with Bastrop County to streamline the tracking of volunteer hours. These hours will help to off-set the cost of recovery to citizens throughout the County.
The goal of the AmeriCorps teams is to work with the community to create efficient, long-term systems to aid in the long road to recovery. Although recovery efforts are quickly progressing, a great deal of cleanup must take place before rebuild begins, and at this point, debris removal is expected to take months.
We are excited to be a part of the relief effort here in Bastrop. We are moved by the strength of the community and organizations of all different backgrounds coming together for a common goal. We look forward to seeing community members come forth who are willing and able to become long-term volunteers and help lead the community towards rebirth. Bastrop is an incredibly strong community and there is no doubt they will come back bigger and better than ever.”
The E-Corps and CVB members, working together with other AmeriCorps groups and local organizations, have established a Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) at the Bastrop Calvary Baptist Church. The VRC gives give the public a central location where volunteers have the opportunity to learn about and sign up for volunteer opportunities throughout Bastrop County. You can find more information about volunteering on one of our previous blog posts or on our facebook page.
