WIMBERLEY, Texas – A few years after a fire destroyed the Ace Hardware in Wimberley, the store is helping the community rebuild from the Memorial Day weekend flood.
The store is where volunteers have been showing up to help their neighbors impacted by last weekend's flood waters.
Every morning, scores of volunteers show up to the Ace Hardware in Wimberley where they first have a bite to eat from tons of donated food, then they organize and break up into groups to go out into the community to help flood victims clean up and salvage what they can.
Wimberley residents said they are very proud of the way their community steps up in a big way to help their own in need.
"We've had people drop off so much food. It's been amazing, but we still can't keep up with the need. We're probably serving 1,500 to 2,000 people a day," said Christy Degenhart, one of the owners of the Wimberley Ace Hardware Store who knows something about loss.
A few years ago the Wimberley Ace Hardware building burned to the ground, a total loss.
"It took us about a year to rebuild and in that year this town lifted us up, prayed for us, loved on us and took care of us and helped us keep going until we reopened. And when we reopened, they celebrated it like it was their own store that had burned down," said Degenhart.
Volunteers have come from as far as Cincinnati to Austin. When KVUE was at the Ace Hardware store Thursday, they found three employees, who were organizing dozens of coolers Yeti donated. They were filling the coolers with much-needed ice donated by KWIK Ice.
"We've helped out a few people today that have almost been to tears and it's really neat to see that. You don't get to do that behind a phone or behind a desk every day," said Parker Payne with Yeti Coolers.
Volunteers also told KVUE there are a few items flood victims are asking for which are not being donated in abundance. Hoses, rubber boots and fans.
