Teachers Taking Care of Teachers: Texas!

Greetings friends! This is not a typical Freebielicious post. I wanted to share with you an opportunity to help fellow teachers.  I am sure you have been glued to the television this week with all that has gone on in the world. Tragedy has struck in many places in the world, but for me it has hit close to home. I live about thirty minutes from West, TX.  If you live in a small town, you understand that small towns that surround yours are still very much a part of your home. Your communities share many experiences and they bond you.

On Wednesday night I had just gotten home from attending our Life Group when I read on facebook that there was an explosion in West. My heart sunk. My husband’s family lives in West. He immediately got on the phone to see if they were ok and we waited to hear from them. We prayed and then we prayed some more. We heard for Nick’s step mom, Kim. She said they were fine. They do not live near the fertilizer plant and were not around the location of the explosion but they did arrive soon after the explosion to help with the evacuations. Nick’s step mom was a police officer for many years so I know it’s second nature for her to help in a crisis. Kim and Nick’s brother, Ryan (who is a senior at West High School) both helped get people out of the nursing home and then went door to door looking for and helping people for several hours.  Meanwhile, I was at home praying there wouldn't be a second explosion and praying that God would protect our family. It’s one thing to watch CNN and see something going on somewhere half around the world (which is hard enough), but it’s another to watch something going on down the road from where you live. Boy does it pull at your heart strings in the biggest way. 

Immediately, everyone I knew was asking, what can we do? It was heart wrenching reading facebook. Friends lost their homes. Friends of friend’s family members died. Every police officer (including my father in law), nurse, and doctor we knew was there helping with this tragedy. No one slept; even those of us at home. It was all hands on deck. If you weren't there helping, you were at home praying. To date, there have been at least 14 fatalities, over 200 people injured, 50+ homes completely destroyed (many more damaged), a nursing home, apartment building, and schools were also destroyed or damaged badly. Here are a few pictures of the devastation. 

This is the apartment building. 

They are still trying to find missing people. 

The middle school (where my sister in law goes to school) is a complete loss and two other campuses have extensive damage. As a teacher, my first thought is how can I help the teachers? And here is what I came up with…

Oh, how I love my blogging friends and this wonderful community. I reached out to my friends and they were more than happy to help. With their help, I am launching this AMAZING fundraiser. ALL of the money raised will go directly to teachers at West ISD to purchase classroom materials. So here is how YOU can help. By donating $25.00 (and you are welcome to donate more) to this amazing cause, you will get over $140.00 worth of AMAZING products that are sold on Teachers Pay Teachers. Here is everything you will get and what each product is worth…

Again, I realize this is not giving you a freebie, but it does give you an opportunity to help fellow teachers that have lost everything. I hope you will head over to my blog and participate in this fundraiser. We created Freebielicious to be a blessing to teachers. It's our heart to continue to give back. I hope you will join us in blessing the teachers at West ISD. Click my blog button to participate. Thanks!