NEW CANEY – Two hundred middle and high school students are giving up part of their summer break to help rebuild Harvey homes.
Many come from across the state while others have first-hand knowledge of the flood.
“And I so appreciate them being here,” said flood victim Mary Faulkner.
Faulkner’s New Caney area home sits between a river and a creek.
She and her husband waded through chest deep water to escape during Harvey.
“Water was all the way up to the ceiling,” said Faulkner.
Water wrecked everything inside.
“It’s been a slow process, but we’re moving along and that’s what’s important,” said volunteer Grant Doyle.
Doyle is a rising Kingwood High School senior.
He’s among the group of teenage volunteers helping Faulkner this week.
“My grandparents actually flooded,” said Doyle.
He saw how difficult recovery can be and wanted to give back.
“For one, as a person, I love to come out and do things like this,” said Doyle. “Just to help people.”
This help is coordinated through a ministry of Texas Baptists called Bounce Student Disaster Recovery.
It recruits young people who give up their springs breaks and part of their summer vacations.
“They have breakfast at 6:00, they’re on the work site from 7:00 to 4:00 doing all this hard work,” said Cherish Mason with Bounce. “They only break for lunch.”
And maybe to listen to words of gratitude from homeowners like Ms. Faulkner.
“They’re young and could have been doing lots of things, but I appreciate them coming,” said Faulkner.
Most of the work this week has been indoors.
Therefore, the rainy days haven’t been a huge issue.
Another group of Bounce students will be working in the Dickinson and League City areas next week.
Find out more about Bounce here.