When there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved – a quote by Mattie Stepanek – is the thought behind a partnership between Arts for Rural Texas, Round Top Family Library, Gardenia E. Janssen Animal Shelter, Stanzel Foundation, and Fayette Community Foundation, who have all come together to help people impacted by the recent devastating wildfires in the Texas Panhandle.
“It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see so much loss in the Panhandle and feel powerless to do something to help,” said Sandra Borne, executive director of Arts for Rural Texas.
Borne called Craig Moreau, executive director of the Round Top Family Library, to ask if they would want to partner with ARTS to find and promote a way for Fayette County residents to help Panhandle people. He didn’t hesitate to say yes and looped in Teresa Stanley Brown, executive director of the Gardenia Janssen Animal Shelter, on the initial phone call to see if she would want to help too.
That one phone call got the ball rolling. Borne then contacted a community leader in the Panhandle community of Dumas who was already working to secure donations through a delivery and distribution point.
In the meantime, Cheryl Pekar of the Stanzel Foundation and Susannah Mikulin of the Fayette Community Foundation were also included in the partnership.
Within a few hours, Borne created an Amazon gift registry through which anyone can purchase items and have them delivered directly to Dumas, where they will be distributed to people and communities most in need.
“I love that we can help our neighbors up north this way,” said Moreau. “If we can’t be there directly, this is the next best way we can help,” Moreau added.
For those wanting to purchase donations through Amazon, the link is: https://www.amazon. com/registries/gl/guestview/1ISIQQF97UO5I.
When the purchase cycles through to selecting a delivery address, choose the Bliss Avenue address in Dumas, Texas. For those who would prefer making a monetary donation, please go here: https://amarilloareafoundation. org/
For more information about this initiative, please contact Sandra Borne at (512) 971-3901.
