Organizations within the saltwater fishing and boating community are making efforts to help Hurricane Harvey relief efforts along the Gulf Coast, notably victims in Texas and western Louisiana.
Harvey, once a Category 4 hurricane, made landfall in Texas on Friday, August 25. Houston received the brunt of the rain, with parts receiving up to 40 inches by Tuesday, August 29. The state Department of Public Safety counted 16,000 people in 120 shelters, according to a New York Times report.
Now a tropical depression, Harvey moved back into the Gulf of Mexico briefly and then made landfall a second time along the Texas-Louisiana border. It currently sits in northern Louisiana and is expected to travel toward Tennessee and Kentucky. The New York Times reported that officials counted 38 deaths in Texas so far that were related or suspected to be related to the storm.
Below is a roundup of the different companies who have announced programs involving donations of their funds or equipment to help those in need.
Mercury Marine has donated multiple boats and engines to areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey. The generosity includes 30 6-hp outboard engines and 10 inflatable boats to be sent to the command center in Texas. The company also donated a 40-hp outboard engine to Boots on the Ground, a non-profit organization that empowers veterans and qualified civilians to provide emergency and primary medical care. Mercury-owned Land 'N' Sea delivered 100 life jackets to Houston from its nearby warehouse in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Evinrude, which also has sent equipment and resource support to affected areas, announced it will match its employees' donations to the American Red Cross as the western Gulf Coast recovers from the storm.
“Boaters understand the awesome power of Mother Nature and are always some of the first to respond to those in need,” said Olivier Pierini, Evinrude director of global marketing and strategic planning. “This is why we are sending equipment and resources to the area affected by Hurricane Harvey."
Yamaha Marine Group has provided boats and motors to affected areas dealing with the storm. Specifically, Yamaha says it has donated four G3 aluminum boats and one Skeeter bay boat. Many of the company's Pro Fishing Staff who live in the region are on scene, using their personal boats to rescue people trapped due to the floodwaters. Yamaha has pledged to pay the fuel costs for those pro staffers.
Bass Pro Shops is working with local and state agencies in Texas to help rescue and relief efforts on the heels of the storm. The company sent 80 Tracker boats to Houston and other affected areas and $40,000 in supplies to Convoy of Hope, a Missouri-based humanitarian organization, and the American Red Cross.
Confluence Outdoor offered the Houston Police Department and Harris County Precinct One a semi-truck load of rescue boats, paddles and life preservers for both adults and children. Dozens of Wilderness Systems and Perception kayaks were sent earlier this week to support the rescue of people and animals stranded or trapped by stormwater.
YETI announced that it will donate all direct sales made Friday, September 1, via its website and at the YETI Flagship store in Austin, Texas, to hurricane relief efforts. YETI's website includes a page dedicated to the helping those affected by the storm.
