Events To Help Victims of West Explosions & Tornado Relief

I've been collecting a list of events benefiting the relief and rebuilding efforts in West, Texas (listed by location).  I've  decided to also include any benefits to help relief and recovery for victims of the Tornadoes that have ripped through Texas, and our neighbor Oklahoma, and any events in Texas helping the Red Cross (would be happy to add any events benefiting San Antonio flood victims as well...just haven't come across any yet).  Check back as I will continue to update this list.

If you want to donate directly, here's how:

-For places to donate money to West, click here.
-For a List of Needs (items you can help supply), click here.
-For Granbury, you can donate to Mission Granbury  at 817-579-6866.
-Other places to donate to help tornado victims here.
-To help Moore, Oklahoma, more info here and here.

If you know of any other events, please leave a comment and I will add them.

ONLINE

4 West

• T-Shirts for West : Sold Here and Here
• Various items being sold on Etsy to help West.
• West Fire Department Challenge Coin sold to raise money for fallen firefighters families.
• Videos of the Joint Memorial Service for victims of the West Explosion for sale, 100% of profits to Recovery Fund.
• Contact me at ecarian@yahoo.com about buying advertising on this or my other sites to help West.

4 Oklahoma

• T-Shirts 4 Oklahoma Sold Here
• Items being sold on Etsy to help Oklahoma Tornado Victims.
• Cell Phone Cases - 100% of Profits from Oklahoma Designs Go to Red Cross

IN TEXAS - BY CITY

HOUSTON

• SEPTEMBER 8:   A Dinner, Dance, Live Band and Auction to Benefit the West, Texas Disaster Fund will be hosted by SPJST Lodge 88  in the Heights - Contact Kim Bilek Feazle 713.416.3434 or Barbara Jezek Fisher 713.686.7488.

WACO

• AUGUST 22:  West Benifit with Speakers Senator Ted Cruz and Congressmen Bill Flores.  All proceeds go to help West Relief and Recovery.   More Info Here.

WEST

• AUGUST 18:  Elvis Tribute and Throwback Bash benefiting A History of West Museum. Cottonwood Hall, 111 Cottonwood Spur. West, Texas.  3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  More Info Here.
• ANY TIME:  More volunteer opportunities and resources for West Residents are listed on the West Long Term Recovery Page.  They also have added a list of items they are needing, here.  Many of the events I have listed here were found there as well, and they may have others I haven't seen yet.  

If you know of other events benefiting West going on in your town, please let me know in a comment and I'll be happy to add them.

(First Published Tuesday, April 23rd)

One Month Since West...

This has been a hard month for Texas.  Just one month ago today the West Fertilizer plant exploded, and this week Tornadoes ravaged through Granbury, Cleburne, and Ennis.  Our prayers continue to go up for those affected.  If you would like to help in other ways, there's a list ways to help the with the tornado relief here, and donations for West (where there is still so much need) can be sent here.  Also, there is a collection of items being sold on Etsy to help West, and if you are in Texas you can find events  benefiting victims here.

I've been touched by how tragedies connect people.  During the first night after the explosion in west, Doctors who just days before had been treating victims of the Bombing of the Boston marathon ordered pizzas for doctors at Providence hospital treating victims of the West explosion.  TJX companies, who's headquarters are in Boston, up til this week had been the top donor to the Waco Foundation fund for West victims, and when "ways to help west" became harder to find on google, one of the first "links" I found under that search was someone from Boston posting on a Yahoo Answers wanting to know where to donate.

And today I read this...

"...among the first offers of help that came in to Granbury on Wednesday night was a phone call from West — offering to send 300 meals to those in need."
-Dallas Morning News, "Tragic Ties Bind West, Granbury, and Cleburne"

 Wow...that's all I can say.  Wow.

Sky Watch Friday


~~~

Wherever Wednesday (Ur...Saturday...Oops)

Sorry this Wherever Wednesday is a little late.  The first Wednesday of this month  just snuck up on me...and by the time I realized it had passed it was already Friday.  And even getting it up on Friday didn't happen.

The last few weeks was just a blur of events.  Just days after the bombings in Boston the little town of West, just 30 minutes down the road from me, exploded.  The University where my husband works hosted the memorial for the victims, which was visited over 1000 people including the President and hundreds of firemen from around the state and even further.  It was also threatened to be picketed by Westboro baptist church who thankfully decided not to show up.  In the middle of that my youngest turned five, we had visits from family, and well, other stuff happened too.

Thanks to everyone who posted last month.  Here's some of the highlights...

• Viva la Vida shared a post about Santa Cruz, with some beautiful pictures including some of the oldest amusement park on the west coast!  Fun stuff!
• Babuska's Baile shared a charming post about her home town in Crawfordville, Florida.
• For What It's Worth took us on a tour of Copper Breaks State Park in Texas.

Leave your posts on the linky below and share a little bit about any place and it's unique personality... those "this is West Virginia, Austin, Jamaica, Norway, Barcelona,  wherever" moments!   If you're still a little uncertain what that means, this post over at Budget Blond will help you out.   Just remember it has to have SOMETHING to do with a place.  And, though it's not required, I'd love if you would grab the This is Wherever button on the sidebar and share it in your post or somewhere else on your blog!  Thanks for participating (and sorry it's late this week)!

Texas Giveaways Ending Soon

There are two sites giving away tickets to the Little Mermaid May 10 in at the ZACH theater in Austin, TX.

Little Mermaid Tickets (Central Texas Mom) (5/6) - Low Entry!

Little Mermaid Tickets (Are We There Yet Mom) (5/7)

Wherever Wednesday - OOPS!

This May just SNEAKED UP on me.  I've had such a busy week last week, and with Wednesday being on the 1st, it just totally slipped my mind to post Wherever Wednesday.  I will try to get it posted sometime today (even though it's Friday.)  SO VERY SORRY!

Thanks For Sharing

Here's the copy-paste code to share the Texas Events button. 

 Thanks so much for spreading the word.

<a href="http://texifornia.blogspot.com/2013/04/ive-been-collecting-list-of-events.html"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieG8IN2ZJZBkhGwtdEzD9qaSPt2F2_AXziihzHThG5ZHZvBa9ZG_O93YnPcCDWNggS1hG6eLWqoMOTkL324IlaOYG_IcB6CSXNvkOgP9ad7OpEiTzD8HcbyUkq0LeJCHkWmxD-9A/s320/West2.jpg" width="150" /></a>

Pray for West, TX...Give Blood, Donate, Etc.

At around 8:00 tonight the fertilizer factory in West, TX exploded.  There are people injured.  A nursing home, the Junior High, and many other buildings are badly damaged.  More info here.

We live less than 30 minutes away.  Praying for the victims, the doctors, the rescue workers.  If you would like to help, below are ways to donate:

VOLUNTEER:

• Aggieland Outfitters has also set up a number to text for information about volunteering. By texting "HELPWEST" to 99000, Aggieland Outfitters will provide information as it becomes available.  
• Samaritan's Purse is organizing volunteers here.

CASH DONATIONS

• Educators Credit Union accepting donations to benefit West ISD. All locations. Please make checks payable to: ECU – West ISD Relief Fund
• Donations to the West Relief Fund can be made through Baylor online here.
• GENCO Federal Credit Union has established an emergency fund for the Red Cross for use in West relief. Donations may be made at GENCO branch offices in Lacy Lakeview/Bellmead, Waco, Woodway and Lorena. Call 1-800-922-6428 for information.
• Point West Bank in West has a fund established for emergency relief.
•  The Knights of Columbus also have a Fund for West Disaster Relief with information at www.kofc.org/Texas.
• The Waco Foundation will receive donations for a West, Texas Disaster Relief Efforts Fund with information on how to give on its website, www.wacofoundation.org. Call Melissa Miller, director of communications and donor services, at 254-754-3404.
•  You can donate to the Heart of Texas Red Cross here.  The Heart of Texas Red Cross also has an Ebay Giving Works page, so if you have items you would like to sell on ebay to raise funds (or shop items other people have given) you can so that there.  
• Texas Partners Federal Credit Union is accepting donations to assist the community of West through April 30. Cash donations are accepted and the credit union is selling “World's Finest Chocolate” to benefit relief efforts. Donations will be accepted at all branch locations: 2445 N. Main Street in Belton, 809 S. Main Street in Copperas Cove, 1011 Wales Drive in Killeen, and 6935 W. Adams Avenue in Temple. To mail a donation: Attn: West, TX Relief Fund, 1011 Wales Drive, Killeen, Texas 76549. Questions may be directed to Shelley Carlson at (254) 526-3081.
• You can donate at any Heart of Texas Good Will.  
• Aggieland outfitters is accepting cash donations at their stores.

BENIFITS FOR WEST/BLOOD DRIVES

• You can find various places, listed by city, holding events to benifit West here.
• These places also share events benifiting West.
  Bryan
  Burleson/Crowley
  College Station
  Houston (Also try this Pinterest Board)
  Shulenburg
  Temple
  Waco
  
   

UPDATE/REQUEST FROM THE MAYOR OF WEST: 
(Reposted from DFW Scanner Website)

"All the goods donated are wonderful but we have received so much, it has become a problem. At this time there are no real material needs for supplies. What will make the BIGGEST affect, is donate money to the relief at Point West Bank & Trust (254) 826-5333 or State National Bank (254) 826-3741."

The links below  types of local fundraisers, blood drives, in various cities etc.   If you know of other places, please leave a link in the comments.

__
Picture thanks to Bay Area News Station (under creative commons on Flickr.)  Thanks to DFW Scanner Website and 7 On A Shoestring which supplied a lot of my inition information