Lubbock business raising money for first responders in Ruidoso battling fires

Lubbock, Texas — Lubbock man, Daniel Hernandez who owns a hat business, Hometown Hats Co. told EverythingLubbock.com that when he did his first fundraiser for the Panhandle fires, the response was massive.

Hernandez said he was able to give those firefighters and first responders of the Panhandle a check for 105,000 dollars and he is hoping to do the same amount, if not more this time around with the ongoing fires in Ruidoso fires.

Hernandez said, “So the idea is the same. We want to raise money for fire departments there locally servicing the fires. And so, yeah, a large amount of the proceeds are always going to go towards those fire departments.”

Hernandez with Hometown Hats Co. said when he saw the news about the wildfires in Ruidoso, a place he visits often, it was hard to see.

Hernandez said, “It’s a place I grew up going, being from West Texas and seeing it now burned out. And some of the places the cafe we ate at on Saturday are being demolished, you know, Alto Cafe is no longer there. It’s really crazy just to think how quickly someone’s life can change because of a wildfire.”

That is why he and his team quickly came up with the Ruidoso Strong- South Fork and Salt Fire Snapback. It is now on pre-sale with proceeds going to the firefighters working to get the fire out. Hernandez said that money will go directly to what those men and women need.

Hernandez said, “This money will go towards replenishing their equipment. So whether that’s masks, buying them fuel or stuff like that, but also it’ll help them with some of their terrain vehicles.”