'Texans helping Texans': Barbecue teams cook through the night for Harvey evacuees

SAN ANTONIO – Families around Texas are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, and now barbecue teams from across the state are helping out and feeding families in need.

Approximately 2,500 pounds of meat and 5,000 links of sausage were getting cooked through Friday night and into Saturday morning.

"It means a lot to me," Travis Lemos, one of the men barbecuing, said Saturday.

Lemos is from Houston and was on his way into San Antonio to work a tailgate for the UTSA-Houston game until the game was postponed due to Harvey.

Lemos said he got a call about joining other barbecue teams to cook food for families devastated by the storm.

"We are going to feed all those who are still here through the San Antonio food bank and any that aren't around the area and first responders in the area, we are going to feed those as well," Clint Swindall, the head cook for Good Life Barbecue said.

Swindall worked with Santikos Entertainment and Kiolbassa to help coordinate the barbecue teams and help communities around Texas.

Swindall said weekends like this where communities help each-other is just a testament to the state of Texas.

"We have people willing to take care of each-other, we don't turn to others we don't turn to the government," Swindall said.  "Texans are helping Texans, and we are out here because we want to help our fellow Texans."

These barbecue teams worked overnight and plan to work through the weekend to help out people in need.

As for Lemos, he said getting that call to help was no accident.

"It is a blessing to know I was here with my pit, knowing I am going to be able to help others back home," Lemos said.

The teams cooked up approximately 5,000 meals and even had enough to send 600 meals to Victoria.


About the Author:

Max Massey is the GMSA weekend anchor and a general assignments reporter. Max has been live at some of the biggest national stories out of Texas in recent years, including the Sutherland Springs shooting, Hurricane Harvey and the manhunt for the Austin bomber. Outside of work, Max follows politics and sports, especially Penn State, his alma mater.