Rotarians have a servant heart. It’s a core we develop in fellowship. Rotarians were on the ground working in the recovery effort while search and rescue was winding down. One such Rotarian from Montgomery County is a retired firefighter, now department head at Lone Star College by the name of Elizabeth Logue.
She relayed her days on the ground in the flooded areas of the Kerrville area to me which I want to share with you. Here is a recount of her days on the ground.
“I just want to thank you all so much for your prayers, encouragement and financial support as my sisters and I made our way to Kerrville to help the community and our beloved childhood camp, Heart of the Hills. We were able to do so much because of your partnership. It meant the world to us.
The community is hurting deeply. We saw devastation everywhere. Homes, camps, memories — gone. So many children were lost. But in the middle of it all, what stood out the most was the love. Neighbors helping neighbors. Strangers showing kindness and stepping in to lift each other up. That spirit of compassion reminded me so much of what we stand for as Rotarians.
One of the most emotional parts of our trip was visiting the flower memory wall that had been set up in honor of the children and community members who passed away in the flood. We were able to pray with several people there and offer encouragement, just by being present with them in their grief.
We also met with the head of the Cajun Navy district and his team — amazing people working hard to continue the search for those still missing. He shared some powerful stories with us, including one about a man with disabilities who survived by clinging to a tree for hours in the floodwaters. His heart was heavy, and we stood there together at the memory wall in silence and tears.
By God’s grace, we were given access through a high-security area where the worst destruction had taken place. The drive to Heart of the Hills was quiet — we couldn’t even speak. It was mile after mile of destruction. No picture or news report could ever capture what we saw.
When we finally reached camp, it hit us hard. Seventeen cabins were gone. The director’s house — Jane’s house — was completely destroyed. That was especially emotional, as many of you know how much Jane meant to all of us. She passed away during the flood, but before she did, she made a call to her son who was on-site. Because of her quick thinking, he was able to help save some of the staff that was still there. Seeing his heart to serve, even in his grief, moved us deeply.
We spent hours doing hard, physical work — cleaning, clearing debris, scrubbing items covered in mud and mold, and just trying to bring some order to the mess. We met other former campers who had also come back to help, and local churches stepped in too. It felt good to sweat and cry and work together — doing what we know Jane would’ve wanted us to do.” Time and prayer will help to heal the wounds.
The Rotary Club of Conroe hosted the head football coaches of the six high schools in Conroe ISD last Tuesday, before any of the other organizations. This news scoop was made possible because a Rotarian is always on top of her game. The common thread that these coaches had of helping grow students in a positive, uplifting manner toward maturity was obvious. In athletics, there is a lot of “trash talk,” but each Coach lift the other Coaches up as great athletic coaches and an obvious display of comradeship was uplifting. These Coaches spoke highly of each other and told Rotarians of the potentials of their football players. They spoke of injured players from last year who worked hard consistently in the gym to overcome their injuries and improve on their skills. Several bragged about the high academic skills their athletes also have. It was definitely uplifting to be amongst such “giants” at Conroe ISD!
The Rotary Club of Conroe meets each Tuesday at Honor Cafe.