BIG SPRING, TX — After Sunday’s severe storm, several people came together to help their neighbors. One of which was a nonprofit 7U travel baseball team based in Big Spring called Howard County Rage.
JC Marquez, head coach for the team, said initially, the goal was for the team to complete one or two yards, but with a team of 7 and 8-year-olds and their siblings and families, the crew was able to knock out their first big job in 30-45 minutes.
“That was a shocker, right! So I’m thinking in my head, ‘Man, I gotta find more work for these kids. We got all of this together and now we gotta find something to do,” said Marquez. He noted that no one in their organization gets paid, so the individuals involved had to take time away from work or personal lives to help out.
The team announced on Facebook that they were willing to help and people began to reach out for help. They ended up splitting into teams, coaches would board up windows and players would remove debris. At the end of the day on Monday, the they were able to knock out 13 yards thanks to support from a few local businesses.
“We’re not just a sports team. We’re here. We want to give back to the community. We do ask for sponsorships but we don’t expect handouts. When things come out like this we will play our part and do what’s needed,” said Marquez.
“We had David White with Blue Collar Roofing helping us with materials. RW Fence and Fab were going behind us shredding trees. We had Wild West Wings helping us with the tools, providing materials and waters. Afterward, we had Coach Nick’s father-in-law treat us with a swimming party,” he continued.
Nick Rivera, another coach for the team, said the swimming party was a good ending for the day and the kids were ready to do it again for a second day.
When asked what the responses have been like from the homeowners, Nick Rivera, another coach for the team, said that there were many homeowners who had tears of joy and were thankful to have the team’s help.
Marquez told KBest News, two months ago everyone on the team were strangers and now they’re working together to make a positive impact in their community. He hoped the kids would learn that it’s okay to do nice things for others without an expectation of receiving anything in return. The ultimate goal is creating good leaders for the future.
For more information on Howard County Rage, visit their Facebook page.
(Photos by KBest Media)
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