Employees at Eureka Midstream and TransTex Treating have been actively volunteering their time as well as making donations to help victims of Hurricane Harvey, a Category 4 hurricane that struck the Texas coast in late August, 2017.
Greg Dotson, Eureka’s Environmental Health & Safety Director, reached out to all Texas based employees to determine the status and needs of those affected by Harvey. This was quickly followed by a note from Chris Akers, President and COO, encouraging employees to take the time needed to manage the welfare of themselves and their loved ones during this difficult time. Accounts for relief funds were created with a note to all employees communicating the opportunity to help those in need.
There have been numerous efforts by team members to help Houston recover and rebuild, including demolition, and serving food to first responders and displaced residents. Additionally, there have been donations of clothing, money, hosting families, reuniting lost pets, sorting, and delivering food.
Stephen Morgan, SVP of TransTex Treating, is chairing a benefit concert for The Center, on October 26th at Armadillo Palace featuring country music star Wade Bowen. Both Eureka and TransTex have committed to supporting the event through sponsorship and volunteers. The Center, whose campus sits on Buffalo Bayou, was inundated by over 10 feet of water during the storm. This organization promotes the pursuit of choice, growth, and personal independence for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and serves over 450 adults with I/DD in the Houston area.
Marc Weaver, SVP of Business Development, along with a team of men from various churches spent three and a half days ripping up hardwoods and tearing out sheetrock in homes along Buffalo Bayou in the Memorial area. The daily commute consisted of loading equipment on boats and taking to location. Marc reported that it was “a surreal experience; like doing mission work in a foreign land. One of the best memories from my experience was the resiliency and upbeat attitude of the people I encountered, who lost so much.”
Charlie King, VP and Controller, assisted with cleanup and demolition in the River Plantation Community. He helped relocate and reunite lost pets for residents in the community, where 500 homes were completely destroyed after being inundated with 15 feet of water, plus another 274 homes damaged by rising flood waters.
Other team members worked alongside Bayou City Fellowship, a local church group in demolishing houses for 5-days; tearing out sheetrock, baseboards, insulation and salvaging personal belongings for families. The team started with 12 people, and grew to almost 60 by the end of the week.
Still others volunteered with Operation BBQ Relief. This Missouri organization was in Houston for 11-days and served over 371,000 meals to first responders and residents who were displaced. Meals were served not only in Houston, but also surrounding cities including Victoria, Corpus Christi, Beaumont and Rockport.
As a company, we are all proud of the Eureka and TransTex family and the time and dedication committed to serving the community. We had three employees directly impacted with flooding in their homes. One shared “I can honestly say that I am overwhelmed by the generosity of our company and people in the local communities. Dealing with the aftermath is a tremendous effort that doesn’t go unrecognized or underappreciated.”