UPDATE: Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Dept Raises $6,000 in 2 Hours for Texas Hurricane Harvey Relief

UPDATE Aug 31, 2017: Wednesday’s fundraiser organized by the Sound Beach Fire Dept for Hurricane Harvey relief in Texas generated about $6,000 in donations in just two hours.

According to volunteer firefighter with the Sound Beach Fire Dept Wheatleigh Dunham, the veterans in the department think they might have broken a record going back to 1904.

Original story, Aug 30. On Wednesday afternoon the Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Department held an emergency fundraiser for victims of the epic flood in Texas resulting from Hurricane Harvey.

Volunteer firefighters were joined by middle school and Greenwich High School students who collected cash donations from passing cars.

And it did add up.

The middle school 7th grade trio of Camille Brommers, Sydney Floch and Kate Marchetti estimated they collected several hundred dollars in about an hour and a half. “People were generous, giving $5.00, $10.00 and $20.00 bills,” the girls said.

“It’s nice to see that people come together,” Sydney said. “We wanted to do something to help.”

“My mom grew up in Houston,” Camille said. “Our family friends had to be picked up in boats two days ago.”

“A lot of people gave $20 bills and said thank you and that it’s great what we’re doing,” said Dylan Madden, a rising junior at Greenwich High School. “People who didn’t have cash gave us whatever they could find, even if it was quarters.”

“The response has been fantastic,” said Wheatleigh Dunham, a volunteer with the Sound Beach Fire Dept. “We’re learning as a nation the value of coming together in a time of crisis. This is unifying.”

Dunham said the fire department has one of the few dedicated dive teams in the area, and they would have like to have traveled to Texas. “Swift water – high water rescue is a special certification we have,” he said of the local volunteers. Instead they organized the collection drive.

Volunteers at Sound Beach Fire Dept said they were confident that donations would go to the people who need it in Texas. The collection ended at 6:00pm on Wednesday, but anyone wishing to donate is urged to make a donation via the American Red Cross.

Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Dept member Wheatleigh Dunham with Alex Mozian and Dylan Madden from Greenwich High School. Aug 30, 2017 Photo Leslie Yager

In Old Greenwich, middle schoolers Camille Brommers, Sydney Floch and Kate Marchetti collected donations to assist relief efforts in Houston, Texas, Aug 30, 2017 Photo: Leslie Yager

Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Dept member Wheatleigh Dunham collected donations for relief for victims of flooding in Houston, Texas. Aug 30, 2017 Photo: Leslie Yager

Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Dept members collected donations for relief for victims of flooding in Houston, Texas. Aug 30, 2017 Photo: Leslie Yager

Children helped Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Dept collect donations for relief for victims of flooding in Houston, Texas. Aug 30, 2017 Photo: Leslie Yager

Kate Marchetti receives a donation for Houston flood relief in Old Greenwich on Aug 30, 2017 Photo: Leslie Yager

Counting significant donations to American Red Cross at the Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Dept emergency fundraiser on Wed, Aug 30, 2017 Contributed photo