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SPORTS “ DISASTERS ARE OUR BUSINESS . VETERANS ARE OUR PASSION .” Meet Team Rubicon
By Jayme Lamm | Photography by Kirk Jackson and Dana Braverman
Houston is no stranger to some great philanthropic groups , but one of the latest ones we learned about ( thanks to Houston Astros outfielder COLBY
RASMUS ) is Team Rubicon .
Team Rubicon is the only nonprofit disaster response organization that repurposes the skills of military veterans , uniting their skills and experiences with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams . The organization is currently coordinating alongside local agencies to respond to the ongoing Houston floods as well as the earthquake in Ecuador , among other issues throughout the world . Recently Team Rubicon served Houston , Harris County , Wharton County and other surrounding communities during Operation Moonshot , which was launched in response to the severe flooding the area experienced this spring . From April 23 – May 15 , 150 Team Rubicon volunteers from across the country deployed to Texas to serve those affected by the severe weather . The team in Houston logged more than 10,000 volunteer hours ( valued at $ 285,000 ), and assisted with damage assessments , debris removal , muck out and chainsaw operations , plus volunteer management . All at no charge . But Houston isn ’ t the only place Team Rubicon is making a huge impact . Since their founding in 2010 , Team Rubicon has deployed over 120 disaster response operations around the world . The organization currently maintains a growing roster of 35,000 volunteer members who are ready to deploy , at any given moment , wherever they are needed . ( Follow the ticker on their homepage to see their current operations , which are updated regularly .)
But back to Colby Rasmus . Earlier this year , the outfielder known for his outrageous clubhouse celebrations , launched Hitters for Heroes . For every home run he hits this season , Rasmus is donating one thousand dollars to
Team Rubicon . Add that to your list of reasons to cheer on Rasmus to homer .
“ These men and women have sacrificed so much in the name of our country , and I am honored to help make a difference in their lives while simultaneously supporting the community of Houston ,” Rasmus told Team Rubicon back in April .
But the sports-tie for Team Rubicon goes beyond Rasmus . Co-founder JAKE
WOOD recently shared his story from playing football at Wisconsin , to joining the Marines , and then onto founding Team Rubicon , a story that was shared with ESPN last month .
Additionally , the University of Texas Longhorn football team worked side by side with Team Rubicon during the Wimberley recovery operation in 2016 , and members of the Oklahoma Thunder visited with Team Rubicon during the response to the Moore , Oklahoma tornado in 2013 , Team Rubicon explained . Wood and fellow co-founder WILLIAM MCNULTY founded Team Rubicon as a way to continue to give back and serve when their time in uniform had ended . Team Rubicon promotes veteran reintegration and bridges the gap between military and civilian life , which statistics show is not an easy task .
Rasmus hit a career high of 29 home runs last year , so fingers crossed he continues to make an impact on the field and with Team Rubicon .
To learn more , visit teamrubiconusa . org .
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