Texas Giveaways

Giveaways with Texas flair!

Shlitterbahn Water Park Giveaway (TX, Various Cities) - 7/5

Free Haircut at Waterstone Salon (Austin, TX)- 7/8

Shlitterbahn Water Park Giveaway (TX, Various Cities)  - 7/11

For California Giveaways, click here.

This is Wherever Wednesday

Welcome to This is Wherever Wednesday!   At Wherever Wednesday we share those little moments that really show the character of the places we live.   It started on Budget Blond and, after an intermission, restarted here on Texifornia.

• "Herland" shared about some local Austin Artists, one which was promptly added to my Pandora stations after listinging to the video  posted.  And every song on my new "Matt the Electrician  stations I've heard since I've loved!
• "Real Cheap Housewives of Texas" shared a post title "Who knew St. Louis was so Cool?" I didn't!
• And "Viva La Vida" shared pictures from a place voted "best beach in the world."  Can you guess where?  I had never heard of it...but now I wish I could go there!

Leave your "This is Wherever" posts on the linky below (whether your wherever is "Alabama or Iraq, The South or South Korea, Boston or Britian").    If you're still a little uncertain what that means, this post over at Budget Blond will help you out.  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!



Help Promote This Link-Up!
Add This Button to Your Sidebar or Post! 

<a href="http://texifornia.blogspot.com/search/label/This%20is%20Wherever%20Linky"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw67B1sJyOs4YeBDWa4qqEJ1tu-XY3Xc8GmOUkP2wMhaUX7LSt4FCbcTfDG1rwyv3Ed5L0G0_D1eQ-EDcUN_yh9IhVf70odUAyagid4Zuj6ccp3YPva18E4t6TmTvivBHIzfOTaw/s1600/WhereverWORLD300.jpg" width="150" /></a>

Thanks!

Texas Giveaways Ending Soon

I like to share giveaways for Texans and Californians when I stumble on them.  This week, in addition to the Texas local giveaways, I've stumbled on a few "Allergy Home Test" kit giveaways, and since allergies are such an issue out here in Texas, I thought those counted as "of interest to Texans."

Handyman Services in San Antonio, TX (6/4 )

Allegy Home Test (at Cake Mom) (6/9)

Allergy Home Test (at Makobi Scribe) (6/11)

San Antonio and a Whole Lot of Rain....

Photo by Irene Nina Diaz

We have been trying to get down to Sea World in San Antonio since March, but one thing or another has come up to get in the way.  But Memorial weekend, we really thought it was going to happen.

My husband and I had a date planned Friday (our 3rd this year...we don't get out by ourselves much), and had planned to head down afterwards, cause driving at night works better for the kids.  But coming home it started to downpour.  We passed two wrecks in the first 10 minutes after the rain started.  It was bad.  We decided to wait til the next day to go down.   But by the next afternoon, San Antonio (or a good part of it) was underwater.

So, we haven't gotten down to Sea World yet...but worse than our minor inconvenience is the fact that 3 people lost their lives and many homes were flooded.  Our prayers are with San Antonio.

It's seeming like all I'm talking about here lately is disasters...but man has Texas been getting them lately!  Yeah, the tornadoes are nothing new, and neither is flooding for San Antonio, I gather....but dang, it just seems like a lot all in two months time.

When I talk about disasters like this I always like to include info on how you can help (and I know I've been posting a lot of "you can help here" lately, but it's not to pressure you--just to have that info easily at hand if people wanted to help).   Of course, as always, if you know of any places collecting items or donations for the flood victims, or events benefiting relief efforts, please let me know in a comment and I'll be happy to add it.


MONETARY DONATIONS

• Donate at www.salvationarmytexas.org, 1-800-SAL-ARMY, or by mailing a check notated "flooding disaster victims" to 521 W. Elmira Street, San Antonio, TX 78212. 
• FOX San Antonio, News 4 San Antonio, and The CW 35 are teaming up to help the victims of the floods that hit San Antonio and the tornadoes that ravaged Oklahoma.  I am not sure how the money will be divided between the victims of these two disasters.  You can donate to this fund here.  
• Text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief, which helps people affected by disasters such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, wildfires and tornadoes.  (Or go to their website, where you can probably specify more directly how you want the funds used).  

IN KIND GIFTS (STUFF)

• SAN ANTONIO:  The Salvation Army in San Antonio is accepting donations  of canned food, non-perishable items, and bottled water. However, they are not accepting clothing or household items at this time.  Items can be brought to 521 W. Elmira Street, San Antonio, TX 78212

  

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)!