Wells resident Nick Dallman helped drop off 37,000 pounds of needed supplies on Tuesday in Houston in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, thanks to the support of local communities, churches and businesses.

The items included 340 sheets of sheetrock, pallets of water, cleaning supplies, nonperishable items and tools.

“It was kind of a little bit of everything,” Dallman said.

He credited GeDee Engebretson-Feist — who he called the “brainchild” of the effort — along with his family and the effort made by communities across the region that made the donation possible.

Dallman arrived in Houston Monday night with a full, 53-foot trailer and unloaded the items Tuesday morning at Lakewood Church, the organization led by nationally known televangelist Joel Osteen.

All of the sheetrock was planned to be used in homes.

“It was kind of a neat feeling to know exactly where our stuff is going,” said Dallman, who added he was driven to help with hurricane relief efforts after he heard accounts of Houston-area residents who were hurting and had lost everything from the hurricane.

Dallman mentioned the shifting focus to Florida in anticipation of Hurricane Irma, which struck the state shortly after Hurricane Harvey slammed Texas.

“We as a community wanted Texas to realize they were not forgotten about,” said Dallman, who noted the help could show the United States is not as divided as it appears and that there are good people across the country.

“I wanted to do my part to help,” he said.

Dallman thanked his wife, Christie; two sons, Brett and Ethan; two daughters, Alex and Maddie; and parents Wayne and
Pat, for help they gave him during the process; as well as his brother, Jarvis, for allowing him to use his shop for staging and his parking lot to park his trailer.

Dallman said Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville donated an almost-full pickup truck load of items, and donations were also received from Mankato. A local church donated 65 backpacks with school supplies, and items were also given from Walters, Kiester, Bricelyn, Albert Lea and Wells.

Dallman recalled the look of surprise Houston area residents gave when the items were donated and said he was pleased with the progress of recovery efforts in the Houston area.

“It was a really, really good experience,” he said. “A very fulfilling experience.”

Hurricane Harvey ravaged the Texas coast in late August, becoming the heaviest tropical downpour in U.S. history.