By Arden Berry | Staff Writer
In the continued aftermath of destruction, BearAid Disaster Relief sent student volunteers to San Angelo to rebuild.
Sarah Walker, senior coordinator for service at Baylor Spiritual Life, said BearAid partnered with Texans on Mission to take 30 students and two faculty members on a flood relief service trip Nov. 14–15 to San Angelo.
“BearAid is Baylor’s arm of disaster relief and humanitarian aid,” Walker said. “We have a really great group of students who care a lot about our neighbors, not only in Waco.”
Specifically, volunteers helped restore a recently flooded house. Walker said Texans on Mission pairs BearAid with site coordinators who are aware of the community’s needs and can help students with construction tasks.
“They are really helpful in instructing students how to use the tools and how to hang the drywall,” Walker said. “Last time we were power washing outside the house; it was covered with mud, and we were putting in a new panel, wood paneling and doing a lot of cleaning and hanging, cutting and hanging drywall.”
Walker said this trip is part of the “Go” step in BearAid’s “Pray, Stay, Raise and Go” approach.
“The first thing we did here on campus, we actually packed flood buckets,” Walker said. “And then starting the summer, we’ve been taking groups of students, faculty and staff down to the Kerr County region and San Angelo to help in the recovery efforts.”
According to a press release, BearAid previously sent volunteers to Kerr County Sept. 19–20.
“Over the two days, BearAid student and staff volunteers helped rebuild homes damaged by flooding by installing drywall, clearing debris, painting and more,” the press release read.
Sugar Land sophomore Shelby Staley said that trip was her first service trip.
“We got to meet a family that was impacted by it, and it was just mind-boggling,” Staley said. “We were so exhausted by the end of it, but it’s a lot of physical labor, so it doesn’t come close to what they experience, but you get to contribute to reviving that community, so it was great.”
Staley said she helped organize and advocate for this trip to San Angelo, something that connects to Baylor’s Christian mission.
“In the season of Thanksgiving right now, I think it’s really cool that we get to give back, and I think that’s a message to spread across campus,” Staley said. “But other than that, I’m just really grateful that I get to be a part of it.”
Walker said the trip is free for student volunteers, emphasizing the importance of giving back.
“I think it’s important that all students can access this,” Walker said. “And so this is also a great opportunity for students, for international students, for grad students [and] for undergrads who only have a short time but still want to be involved.”
Additionally, Walker said students of all skill levels could help, and they don’t typically need previous experience in disaster relief.
“You don’t really need to have any skills going into it because they teach you on the ground,” Walker said. “It’s a great way to learn some new skills, make some new friends and really serve those in our community.”
Walker said BearAid plans to do more weekend trips like this during the spring semester, as well as a spring break trip to Kerr County.
“We want as many students as possible to be able to engage in meaningful service,” Walker said. “It’s a very tangible way of living out your faith.”
