Photo: A fire in Bastrop County destroyed 34,000 acres and 1,386 homes, Erin Ramirez, a Girl Scout helped provide clothing and personal items to some of the 5,000 people who were forced to leave their homes.

ELGIN, Texas –– When a massive September, 2011, wildfire destroyed 1,386 homes in Bastrop County, Erin Ramirez, a senior at Elgin High School, drove to Wal-Mart at midnight to pick up toiletries, underwear, baby food and other items for persons who were forced to quickly abandon their homes and move to a temporary shelter.

The following day, she organized an impromptu Facebook drive for additional bedding and clothing. Members of First UMC brought three truckloads of items to Erin’s house. By 3 p.m. that day, she led a caravan of vehicles to the drop-off site. Over the next few days, she continued to check families into the shelter, serve food, clean up and run errands. She also recruited her teammates on the Elgin High volleyball team to organize donations to the shelter.

Now working on three large collages for a new community center at Morris Hospital for her Girl Scout Gold Award, Erin continues to serve on the Outreach Committee of First UMC and participates in mission trips. She also teaches a summer Sunday school and coaches a second-grade basketball team.

First UMC presented her with a Good Samaritan Award.