MIDLAND, Texas — The Amarillo fire continues to blaze over the Texas Panhandle and the Permian Basin community is coming together to help out the neighbors to the north.
Resources and help are needed from all over and the Midland Rockhounds are more than willing to answer the call.
"I've always been taught help people where in need and they're obviously Texans and Texans look out for each other no matter if it's in Houston, El Paso or Beaumont, you always help each other out and it's no different with Canadian, Texas and since we're fairly close by there's no reason why we can't help and we're always happy to," said Rockhounds Community Relations Manager Jonathan Simmons.
After the Amarillo Sod Poodles sent out a Facebook post asking for donations, the Rockhounds felt it was only right to follow suit.
"Basically, we just wanted to be involved with what our friends up in Amarillo were doing," Rockhounds Director of Operations Dan Knapinski said. "So, rivals on the field, friends off of it, we wanted to kind of help out and do what we could with the help of our community out here and be able to take up some items for them."
The fire is now the largest in Texas history, and that is not something the Rockhounds take lightly.
The only goal right now is to help whenever and however they can.
"As an organization, to kind of speak for everyone, it’s definitely a big part of what we’re trying to do," Knapinski said. "Whether it's during the games in the summertime or you know organizing something like this to help fellow baseball teams but you know fellow humans in need kind of in our part of the country.”
Soon, the team will leave the diamond to win a different game with a different cause; one that will help an opponent in a time of need.
“The first thing I’m going to say is 'we’re here to help' because that’s what we’re going to do and from there we’re just going to talk with the citizens of Canadian and see what we can do out there," Simmons said.
This time, when the team heads to Amarillo, Sod Poodle fans will see that we are playing for the same team.
People can drop off things like non-perishable food, toiletries, diapers and anything you may feel is needed. Drop off times are Friday, March 1 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The Rockhounds will take all donations to the Amarillo area on Tuesday, March 5.