By CAROLINE CARMICHAEL / Staff Writer

Hurricane Harvey wrought horrendous destruction upon Texas residents in September. Even though it’s October, the people of Texas still have many needs to be met.

Thorsby School third graders were among the local heroes extending helping hands to people still devastated by the hurricane.

Led by Reading Instructor Holly Alverson, the students collected toiletries for hurricane relief in Texas, submitting their donations to American Red Cross on Oct. 2.

Alverson said the students had been collecting toiletry donations for two weeks.

The third graders made some creative efforts to collect the donations.

“I actually had a birthday party, a donation for Butterfly Bridge, and then they brought all this stuff, so my mom put it all in a bag and let me bring it for a donation for Texas,” third grader Kendall McLaughlin said.

Another student collected donations from church members.

Donations included soap, shampoo and conditioner, toothbrushes and toothpaste, toilet paper, hair supplies and more.

Altogether, the team of third graders collected five large, heavy boxes of donations, along with many other donations stuffed into smaller boxes. They grunted scooting the boxes forward for their picture with donations, but broke into broad grins as they held up their collections and posed with their hard work.