CALALLEN, Tx — According to the National Weather Service, Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Florida Gulf Coast as a Category 4 storm on the evening of September 26th, 2024. This left many without power and water, but one Calallen couple is doing what they can to help out.
The Quilting Touch, a quilt and fabric store, has been owned and operated for the last 11 years by Bryan and Robin Sykora. Robin is also a retired Banquete ISD teacher who taught for 21 years. They've been married for over 46 years and attribute their customers to why they started this hurricane supply drive.
“We have a group of ladies who come in and sew on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and the idea just kind of came up, and next thing we knew, we had a whole carload of stuff,” said Bryan Sykora
The couple originally planned to have Robin's sister drive the supplies they had collected so far from customers, but unfortunately, because the roads were closed, she was asked to return them. But they didn't give up. Luckily, Robin got in touch with Shana Brader at Sun Kissed Graphics in Rockport. Shana had already gotten a driver to take four truckloads of supplies to North Carolina for those in need. Now, the Sykoras are planning to gather more supplies to send to four different churches in the area.
"In North Carolina, they are living in the mountains and hills, and it's starting to get cold. They need bedding, jackets, and winter-type clothing," said Robin Sykora. "They need flashlights with batteries. That was the number one item on the list that they requested themselves. Some of these people live in their cars until they can adjust things.”
Diapers, sleeping bags, and even $3000 worth of $25 fuel cards are just some of the items they have gathered so far.
If you would like to donate, the Sykora are requesting any items from the list above and asking that the items gathered are still new or packaged. To donate you can head to the
If you would like to help donate you can head over to the Quilting Touch Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The absolute last day to donate will be Saturday, November 9th, when they will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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