This brand new category encouraged readers to recognize the many folks who came to aid after the Memorial Weekend floods. Ballots were cast for the Red Cross, Austin Disaster Relief Network, and even the brave Austin emergency workers who rescued the guy stuck on a pole at House Park. The group that earned the most was Texas Conservation Corps, a program of American YouthWorks and supported by AmeriCorps volunteers. TxCC set up – as they have done for many recent Texas disaster recovery events – VRCs, or Volunteer Reception Centers. The Wimberley, Bastrop, and San Marcos centers served as HQ for funneling resources and muscle to the folks who needed it most, and offered opportunities and guidance for volunteers who wished to serve out in the field.
