Hurricane Harvey

I originally posted this on What the Heck, Bobby?

At last. After nearly five consecutive days of endless rain, Hurricane/Tropical Storm Harvey has finally made his exit from the Greater Houston area. I'm fortunate that my family and I sustained minimal losses from Harvey, but withstanding the storm does not mean that everything will instantaneously return to normal.

For many along the Texas coast, their perception of "normal" has been shattered and for them, there is a very real possibility that it may never be repaired. This is only the beginning of a long and arduous healing process. With that being said, the images I have seen this weekend of first responders working round the clock to coordinate rescue and evacuation efforts and the influx of volunteers from Texas and the nation lending a helping hand to these efforts truly give me hope.

Now, the rebuilding process begins and we all have a part to play in it. Not just in Houston, but all along the Texas coast as well. Houston may get the headlines because of its status as the 4th-largest city in the United States, but towns such as Rockport, Refugio, Corpus Christi, and Victoria all bore the brunt of Harvey's fury. As Texans, we look out for our own. Please, don't forget the communities of the Coastal Bend.

There are many, many opportunities to contribute financially toward the Harvey recovery. And if you wish to volunteer, here are several Texas organizations that you can contact. This recovery will take a long time so do what you can, give what you can.