Texas flood recovery volunteers find dignity in helping victims
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Janice Riley took off her shoe, thinking a rock had gotten stuck inside while she was volunteering in flood-devastated Kerrville, Texas, but was surprised to find a bent nail lodged in the sole, just centimeters from her foot.

“It reminds me of the verse that says, ‘How beautiful are the feet that bring good news’, she said while laughing.”

Riley was working along the Guadalupe River, but that nail didn’t stop her from cleaning up mud-soaked houses and attempting to piece together devastated lives. 

As she walked into each house, she saw the aftermath of the flood marked by water stains several feet high on the wall.

Seeing the wreckage in Kerrville, Aguillen understood that even with donations, survivors had little. As she reflected, she was more motivated to make a difference. 

Aguillen knew she could rely on contacts from her insurance company, Texas United Insurance Services, LLC, for donations for a cause bigger than herself. 

“I came to the office this week and started calling every business owner in my book,” she said. 

So far, she has raised $5,000 and plans to drive back down to Kerrville and hand it out to people in need. Although she feels it may not be a lot of money, she says every bit counts.

“I want to see these people go to the bank and cash and have cash in hand,” she said. “I can bless several, several families with $500 a piece, and that’s what I intend on doing.”

A man and a woman standing next to each other

Lisa Aguillen visiting Kerrville with Bud Bolton to preach and hand out money raised for victims in July 2025. (Fox News Digital/Sophia Leone)

Although the volunteers, Riley, Annette and Aguillen faced hardship while spending hours putting themselves through hard work, they realized their service had in their community and brought power to the lives of those they were serving. 

Annette summed it up in one word. 

“Time,” she said. “It is our most valuable commodity, and what makes it so valuable is that we can’t make more of it. So how we decide to spend it speaks so much more than just donating.”

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