Local caterer Jeff Rockow knew as soon as he heard about July Fourth’s catastrophic flooding that he wanted to both help support his own daughters and aid other families affected by the disaster.
He had picked Sage, 16, and Violet, 13, up from Camp Mystic only a week before the flooding. It had been Sage’s sixth year at camp, and Violet’s third. To them, camp feels like family.
“I had just been there,” Rockow said. “We had just been at the camp. And I was like, ‘I’ve got to go.’”
Rockow traveled to Kerr County on July 6 and spent the next two days volunteering as part of a team from Mercy Chefs, which is serving hot, chef-prepared meals to those in need after the disaster.
In the Park Cities, Rockow is best known for his addictive Killer Caramels, which are homemade and sprinkled with sea salt. But in Kerr County, his roles were much more basic — chopping and washing dishes. Rockow cut everything from Andouille sausage and tomatoes to about 200 sweet potatoes, so many that his cutting callous burst.
Rockow hopes to return to Kerr County with Mercy Chefs, and perhaps bring his daughters to help, as well.
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“They need hands. They don’t need to be qualified hands,” he said. “They’ll make it work.”
Click HERE to learn more about Mercy Chefs. Volunteer slots may appear full, but their availability changes. Rockow encouraged those who would like to help to keep checking the website.
“It filled my heart, it really did,” Rockow said. “It made me feel good, about something so bad.”
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