A last-minute show-of-support party for area flood relief first responders drew hundreds to Free Roam Brewing Co. last week, an event enjoyed by the dozens of responders who turned up, as well as the community that supports them.
Billed as “Community Supports Community,” Boerne residents packed into Free Roam’s back patio, where owner Jeremy Affeldt demonstrated his expertise in a cornhole tournament.
“The turnout has been amazing, the donations have been amazing,” Affeldt said. “It really just blesses you when you when you can be a part of a community that wants to support what has taken place.”
Thousands of first responders have logged hundreds of thousands of hours in and along the Guadalupe River in search-and-rescue, then search-and-recovery efforts, with the attention now turned to cleanup and rehab of the homes and businesses destroyed.
“Sometimes it can be pretty depressing, what they see out there,” Affeldt said. “So to bring them back here, where they can eat, laugh and chat, and just relax, to me that’s what we wanted to do. And we did it.”
Sisterdale Volunteer Fire Department volunteer firefighter Tom Wertman was among the dozens of first responders on hand, where they received “free everything” — food, beverage, whatever they wanted.”
“It’s been long and hard. It’s sort of a different type of reality that you’re in; it’s just hard to define,” Wertman said.
“We’d show up at 5 or 6 a.m. and we’d be out there until 10, 11 o’clock at night,” Wertman said of he and his fellow Sisterdale VFD firefighters. “Then we’d come back the next morning and do it all over again.”
He thanked the Helicopters For Heroes organization that prepared all the food and helped make the responders feel welcome.
“The community has been absolutely amazing,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like it, bringing us box after box of supplies and goods that we actually need.”
Wertman gave an example that he said touched his heart and stands as a classic example of the outpouring of support the community has given.
“There was a time when we didn’t need anything more (supplies), except leather gloves. Then, all of a sudden, boxes and boxes of leather gloves came in,” he said.
“We had one lady come in with three pairs of gloves. She said, ‘I went to Tractor Supply and Home Depot and this is all they had.’ Bless her heart; it’s that kind of attitude and spirit we have in Boerne that just kept us going.”
Also in attendance was Kendall County Precinct 4 Commissioner Chad Carpenter, who represents Comfort on the commission.
“I’ve probably cried more tears in the past two weeks than I have done in my entire adult life,” Carpenter said. “But what touches me more than anything is the people that have risen up and helped out.”
He said the fact that aid has come nationally and even internationally — with the arrival of search-andrescue teams from Mexico and the Czech Republic — is remarkable.
“When you’re hurting, people step up and try to do what they the needs,” Carpenter said. “And it’s national and international. It’s not just from our own community, but from all around us.”
His property stretches about a mile along the Guadalupe River, he said.
“In one day, we had four different fire departments show up throughout the day, from Dallas, from Fort Worth, Abilene,” he said. “The last one was from Dallas, and they showed up at 9 o’clock at night. They were going out at 9 o’clock at night, searching, with flashlights.”
Affeldt was satisfied with response he received from the night’s special guests.
“Our people continue to come out and just show support,” he said. “We just wanted to be able to show these guys how much we love them, by just feeding them and getting them to relax.”
He gave his wife, Candace, for pulling it all together.
“My wife did a lot putting all this stuff together. She worked with everybody and it was very organized. It’s gone so smoothly,” he said, adding, “Her coming out and doing all this, getting the staff locked in and ready to go, she did a great job. Everyone’s enjoying this.”
Workers with Helicopters For Heroes fed, free of charge, any first responder attending the July 21 Community Supporting Community event at Free roam Brewing Co.
The patio area at Free Roam Brewing Monday was packed with Boerne area residents wanting to show their support for flood relief first responders.
Katryn Ryckman and her dogs served search-and-recovery efforts along the Guadalupe River. With Ryckman are, front from left, Prim, Opal and Rye; and in back, Jack and Rynn, wearing a bandanna.
Star photos by Jeff B. Flinn
Free Roam Brewing owner Jeremy Affeldt lets go with a toss during the day’s cornhole tournament.
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