There are close to 25 oil companies with huge interests in the Eagle Ford Shale play all across South Texas.

While these companies are taking oil and natural gas out they are also putting something back into the communities in the way of money and equipment.

"The donations that have been received by oil companies have been tremendous," said McMullen County Judge James Teal.

Chesapeake Energy has already donated over $250,000 to 67 different entities across the region.

"We try to go in locally talk to folks understand what their needs are and then to to address those," said Chip Hass with Chesapeake Energy.

Tilden benefited from the donations and just bought a brand new ambulance that includes an electric stretcher

"We had the old stretcher where you get down and we would pull their weight. The new one will do it for us," said paramedic Tina Lee Serrata.  

Chesapeake also wrote another sizable check to help the kids of the community with a new playground.

"I would say second to none. I am kinda prejudice on that but it would say second to none," said Teal.

West of Tilden across Interstate 35, Big Wells officials just received the keys to a pickup truck from Chesapeake to help fight fires.

Their current fire truck is a 1981 Chevy, which will continue to help fight fires, but the new pickup truck will be outfitted with modern technology and resources.

"More than anything we would like to touch as many people as possible and try to give them the supplies that will allow them to do their jobs better," said Hass.