Back when the school shooting happened in Uvalde Joe Haliti with Joe’s Italian in Conroe contacted Montgomery County’s Texas Ranger Wesley Doolittle, who is also Precinct 106 Chairman and asked if he could come down and cook for the first responders and investigators. Joe has been cooking for the community after disasters, during the pandemic, and at special events in Montgomery County at no charge. He has cooked thousands of meals for hospital staff during the pandemic again at no charge. So this was nothing new to him. However, Dolittle thought things were a bit crazy at the time. However, Ranger Dolittle suggested doing something in Montgomery County for the victims of Uvalde. As usual, Joe’s gears began to turn and within days plans were being made for an event in Montgomery County. Items were donated for an auction, Joe cooked up meals and Montgomery County Precinct 1 Commissioner Robert Walker secured the North Montgomery County Community Center. Over 150 people attended the event, several tables had sponsors, Jay Dreibelbis & Woodforest Bank, Brent Franklin & Rise Petroleum, Danny Buckalew with Buckalew Chevrolet, also T.J. Knox, Steve Guinn, Morris Monroe, Paul Mason, Gary Richardson Tim Seay, and many others. Haliti and Doolittle sought out Love Heals You, a 503c3 that provides mental health services to those in need. With the funds raised at tonight’s event, Love Heals Youth Counselors will travel to Uvalde to assist with the transition into the 2022-2023 academic school year and deliver Therapeutic Toolkits for each classroom. The tools will be donated to the schools in an effort to address the grief, fear, and anxiety. The counselors will offer assistance to the schools with addressing the PTSD the community will experience. Several thousand dollars were raised.
