CENTER POINT, Texas (KXAN) — As early as 9:30 a.m., you’ll find Arturo Ramon standing over a grill at the Center Point Fire Department.
“Kind of a Mexican play on crispy tacos for lunch,” he said, cooking up the first of several meals for the day.
Ramon owns the Blanco River Meat Company in Driftwood. He said he packed up a truck full of food and headed to Kerr County as soon as he learned the extent of the flood damage.
According to the latest update, the floods claimed the lives of 107 people, and three people are still missing.
“I’ve told the community I’m committed to staying here until they’re done,” he said.
He’s posted up at the Center Point Fire Department, which was served as a coordination point for volunteers.
“Cooking for the heroes, that’s what I’m doing,” Ramon said. “They were shoveling mud out of the building, and I said ‘Well do you all need any help? They said no.’ And then I said ‘OK, well I have food,’ and I’ve been here ever since. The first night, I slept in my truck, but now I’ve made some friends and actually stayed at a police officer’s house.”
He’s served a plethora of meals – from taco to tri-tip – so search and cleanup volunteers can have a hot meal before or after they work.
Ramon is proud to cook for a community he now calls his own.
“I’ve got my Center Point hat, I mean I just feel a part of it, I’m even staying at one of their houses,” he said. “I feel like everyone here is here for the same reason…they want to help. And that’s Texas, right?”
