Volunteers contributed time and muscle to the Bastrop cleanup.

Almost 120 Austin Community College students, employees, and friends gathered in Bastrop on Saturday, October 8, to join the relief effort for those impacted by the Labor Day wildfires.

Participants helped volunteers from around the country distribute food and supplies and clear damaged properties.

“It was exhausting, but thankfully we had a lot of helpers,” says Jarrell McCullar, coordinator for ACC’s Men of Distinction program. McCullar was part of a team that helped one resident clear burned scrap metal and parts he had accumulated over the past 50 years. “He had no family living with him in Bastrop, so he was completely dependent on volunteers. He was very grateful.”

Joseph Williams and Ernesto Wallace clear debris.

Also among the volunteers were cadets from ACC’s Fire Training Academy, who said that helping with the cleanup was an eye-opening experience that reinforced the pride they have for their chosen field.

Support for those undergoing the rebuilding process is ongoing. ACC’s employee associations are continuing to collect money for fire victims, including faculty and staff who live in the Bastrop area. ACC’s Student Emergency Fund also is available to help students directly impacted by the fire.

Fire Academy cadets Jeremy Cuba, Dean Doscher, and Justin Schroeder applied what they have been learning.

Those interested in other volunteer opportunities can contact the Bastrop Volunteer Reception Center at (512) 332-2607.