ODESSA, Texas — The Permian Basin Rehab Center helps their patients with different types of therapy.
As a non-profit, they also have to hold many fundraisers so they can keep helping those patients.
One of their fundraisers was on Thursday. The Great American Steakout saw multiple members of the community gather for a live auction and a steak competition.
Multiple items were available for the auction, including paintings made by local students at the University of Texas Permian Basin, which were also worked on by patients at PBRC.
“All of the money raised at this event tonight and the other events that we have stays right here in the Permian Basin to help cover the cost of physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and audiology services for children and adults with disabilities," PBRC Executive Director Kim Ortega said. "So the money we raise here stays right here to help our friends and neighbors get access to the therapy services that they need.”
Part of the fundraiser included a steak competition that brought in local competition to grill food for the masses.
“We've been doing this for over 10 years. It's been a long time deal and it's a lot of fun," Griller and Prosperity Bank banker Thomas Blackstone said. "We come out here and have fun. We get to share each other's food, see who's cooking the best, and there's always a trophy. So it's a little competition, but the main thing is to raise money for the rehab center.”
This event has been going on since the 90's. It used to be similar to a cocktail event, but now everybody can show up.
And show up, they did. Many members of the community came together to lend their help for the event.
“All the cooking teams are out here volunteering to help cook the steaks for our our attendees. We also have help from the Texas Tech Health Science Center, they have students here to help wait tables. and then we have UTPB cheerleaders help here, helping sell raffle tickets," Ortega said. "UTPB football players will be here helping. they've already helped yesterday morning with some of the heavy lifting, and they'll be here ushering people to their tables.”
At the end of the day, the main beneficiaries are the patients themselves.
Seeing everyone in the community come out and give their time, money and support, helps the patients just as much as therapy.
“I think it's great for them to see the support of the community that wants to make sure they have access to the services they need so they can walk and communicate and talk and do all the things that that we want our kids to do," Ortega said.