Father. Grandfather. Husband. Retired Oil Worker. Meet Dan Martin.
April 17, 2019
Until recently, retired oil worker and local musician Dan Martin spent most of his time rebuilding his home more than a year after Hurricane Harvey. He and his wife Barbara have been married for 22 years and built their home together in Woodsboro, TX. Their house sits next to Dan’s childhood home where he grew up with six siblings.
On August 25, 2017 Hurricane Harvey made landfall lingering over the area for three days affecting much of South Texas. Dan and his family endured up to 130 mph winds, torrential rainfall, flooding and tornados, which left behind devastating damage.
The Martins bunkered down, taking shelter in their first floor bathroom. They grabbed blankets and spent the evening on the floor listening to the sounds of the storm. Shingles were blown away by high winds and rain poured into their home.
Due to roof damage, the entire second floor, living room and kitchen were affected. Fortunately,, there was no major structural damage to the house and part of the first floor was protected by the second level.
Their community came together to help one another. First step: Dan needed to get his roof fixed. Then the home was mucked, gutted and sanitized. His family helped him with insulation and another community organization began drywall.
It was then we called Dan.
We received his information thanks to the Refugio Volunteer Reception Center. They knew it was possible he needed more help and we were able to fill the need.
Dan was surprised when he received the call from our project manager letting him know we could work on his home. He welcomed us in and throughout our time there, he befriended and worked alongside our volunteers and staff.
The first group of volunteers who worked in Dan’s house included students from SUNY Brockport and Nazareth College. Both groups were participating in Alternative Break programs where they spent their winter break volunteering in Texas. Additionally, there were dozens of other volunteers who with compassion and dedication worked alongside Site Supervisor Crow to help rebuild Dan’s home.
From the walls to the floors, the doors and the ceiling, our work with and for Dan is now complete!
As Dan and his wife attempt to regain a sense of normalcy, they take everything day by day. While Dan works on making their house “home” again, Barbara works with her brother, helping him manage and repair his used bookstore that was also damaged in the storm. Their work shows the importance of coming together and helping one another.
Over a year and a half later, many families still need assistance in South Texas. It takes years for communities to fully recover from a disaster. We’re committed to helping families, friends, neighbors and others just like Dan recover.
We need your help! Will you be the one to come? Our Hurricane Harvey Recovery program will be open through August 2020; join us and make a difference by applying to volunteer!
