BELTON—After Tropical Storm Hermine dumped rain on Central Texas, students from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor helped business and home owners in the area clean up in the storm’s aftermath.
UMHB Student Body President Tommy Wilson and Shawn Shannon, Baptist Student Ministry director at UMHB, coordinated two days of volunteer work involving students in cleanup efforts.
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University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women’s head basketball coach Kim Kirkpatrick-Thornton and several UMHB students assist by sorting cloths at the flood-damaged Scott & White Hospice Thrift Store in Belton. (PHOTOS/Jennifer Jones/UMHB)
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“We’re giving a lot of help as far as cleaning and repairing, and we’re also building relationships,” Wilson said. “Some believe that UMHB and Belton are two different entities. To me, being a part of one means being a part of the other. This demonstrates in a physical way that we want to be a part of the community. … We’re fellow Beltonians.”
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor senior Christian studies major Edwin Robinson assists with pulling off sheetrock at a flood-damaged home in Salado.
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More than 30 students and faculty members turned out for the first day of volunteer service. Some were sent to businesses in downtown Belton, some helped at the First Assembly of God Church in Belton, and others went to First Baptist Church of Salado to assist homeowners in that community.
Freshman Bethany Jenkins heard about the damage and wanted to help in any way she could.
“I really felt God calling me and telling me to serve not only those that are in other countries, but also those that are in our own backyard,” she said. “I’m really glad we’re able to help out.”
Local businesses and homeowners also were happy to have the extra hands for all the work needed.
The Scott & White Hospice Thrift Store in Belton flooded with about 48 inches of water. Even as cleanup was taking place at the store, donations already were arriving, staff member Amy Mesecke said.
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“You feel overwhelmed when you have so much to do. We have two trailers full of donations, so it’s great to have the extra help to keep us going,” Mesecke said. “We have volunteers that come on a regular basis, but this in the first time we’ve had such a large group come out and help at one time.”
It definitely lifts your spirits.”
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