JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida collected hundreds of cases of water for Texas after the state was hit by a massive winter storm that left millions without power and safe drinking water.
“Our way to give back here in Jacksonville, Florida is to send them water so that the people of Texas have drinking water and water to cook with,” said Scott Brooks, emergency recovery coordinator.
The company had two locations for people to donate water on Saturday, and the packed trailer hit the road on Tuesday for Houston, carrying more than 1,300 cases of water.
“It’s been incredible,” said Brooks on Saturday during the water drive. “We had a lady the other day at one of the other Winn Dixies, she gave us a $500 donation of water. We had two gentlemen yesterday buy over 30 cases.”
Brooks said the entire drive was put together in three days.
“I can’t thank the people of Jacksonville enough for stepping up and just the outpouring of love,” explained Brooks. “As people of this country, we need to come together in more ways than one, and what better way to come together than to help each other.”
Brooks got a little emotional Tuesday morning as he watched the pallets being loaded onto the delivery truck at the Champion Brands warehouse. He said none of it would have been possible without the community and their partners, like Champion.
“I expected to get maybe half a trailer or something along those lines, but we filled up a 45-foot trailer. Like I said, with the response from Jacksonville and the help of Winn-Dixie on San Jose Boulevard and these great people here at Champion Brands beverage, packaging everything for us, loading it for us and then the Cajun Navy stepping up and getting it to the people of Texas,” Brooks said.
The Cajun Navy picked up the cases of water Tuesday and will deliver them to Houston, hopefully by Thursday.
“I just hope people understand we’re here for them,” Brooks said.