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As people in Central Texas slept on July 4, the Guadalupe River rose more than 20 feet in an hour. The floodwaters tore through several communities, but the hardest hit was Kerr County, two hours northwest of San Antonio in the Texas Hill Country. More than 100 people died. Homes and businesses were destroyed.
One month later, the region is clearing debris and rebuilding, fueled by hope and national support.
To help, Pioneer’s staff raised $3,245. Pioneer matched staff contributions, and CoBank added $3,377.50 through the bank’s Sharing Success program, for a combined donation of $10,000 to the Community Foundation of Texas Hill Country for the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund. After a unique drawing at the Texas Electric Cooperative annual meeting, Pioneer donated an additional $450 on behalf of two Texas utilities, Nueces Electric Cooperative and Grayson Collin Electric Cooperative.
“Pioneer staff live in Texas and know families impacted by the flooding, and the service areas of several utility members were hit hard,” Pioneer CEO Michael Shepard said. “As a co-op, we want to help. And we were heartened that our staff and cooperative donations could be enhanced by participation in a program offered by CoBank.”
Two of Pioneer’s cooperative members serve Kerr County, HCTC and Bandera Electric Cooperative. As the recovery began, Pioneer’s magazine team helped HCTC tell the community’s story in a special edition of the HCTC Connection.
“Specific moments define communities,” HCTC CEO Craig Cook wrote in his column for the issue. “In the wake of unspeakable tragedy, the Texas Hill Country has once again proven what those of us who call this place home have always known: When we face hardship, the resilience, kindness and unwavering spirit of our community shines.”
In the days following the disaster, HCTC offered free Wi-Fi in community spaces across Kerr County and set up a temporary telephone system and Wi-Fi access at the Hunt Volunteer Fire Department.
Bandera Electric staff took essential supplies to the Hunt Volunteer Fire Department, including gloves, face masks and hand sanitizer. Then, Bandera Electric grilled brisket and served up dinner for crews at the Kerrville Public Utility Board.
“It’s a reminder that when bad things happen, you’re not alone,” Bandera Electric CEO Bill Hetherington said in a social media post.
Alexis Risemas, Pioneer’s member solutions specialist and a former first responder, considers Kerrville her hometown and has many family members and friends impacted by the storm. She and her husband, also from the Hill Country, returned to Kerrville after the storm to help with relief efforts.
“The devastation is difficult to put into words. Seeing it firsthand puts everything into perspective,” she said. “But what stood out even more was the strength of the community and how quickly people showed up to help. I’m proud to work for Pioneer and grateful we could join with CoBank to support a place that means so much to me.”
In addition to supporting Pioneer’s donation, CoBank joined several Farm Credit System partners to collectively donate $285,000 to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country to support the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund.
By early August, people donated more than $100 million to support the community, with help distributed locally through Rebuild Kerr.
Want to help?
Learn more about how Pioneer puts cooperative principles into practice at pioneer.coop/principles.
About CoBank
CoBank is one of the largest private providers of credit to the U.S. rural economy. The bank delivers loans, leases and other financial services to agribusiness, rural infrastructure and Farm Credit customers in all 50 states.
CoBank’s Sharing Success program matches up to $6 million in cooperative customer donations every year, amplifying the impact of individual contributions. Since 2012, CoBank has helped members invest $90+ million into rural America. Learn more at cobank.com.
About Pioneer Utility Resources
Pioneer is a not-for-profit communications and marketing cooperative based in Hillsboro, Oregon. Formed in 1956, it provides agency-style communications services to consumer-owned utilities and affiliated organizations in 46 states. Marquee products and services include 11 consumer magazine brands reaching more than 1.3 million U.S. utility households. The cooperative also provides broadband marketing, social media engagement, responsive website design and hosting, podcast production and custom communications services. Pioneer is built to share member stories.
Pioneer also owns Efficiency Services Group, which specializes in energy-efficiency program support and installation services primarily in the West, and NewsData, which publishes industry-leading, independent newsletters covering the utility sector in California and the Pacific Northwest. Pioneer is also the largest shareholder in General Pacific, a Fairview, Oregon-based electric supply company. Learn more at pioneer.coop.