By Michael Gresham
The Texas Catholic
Four schools. One mission.
After devastating floods swept through Central Texas over the July 4 holiday weekend, three Diocese of Dallas Catholic high schools are stepping up in faith and solidarity.
On Monday, July 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., John Paul II High School, Bishop Lynch High School, and Bishop Dunne Catholic School will lead a community-wide donation drive, “Fill the Bus for Kerr County,” in collaboration with Notre Dame Catholic School in Kerrville.
“Like so many people, over the weekend, I was storming heaven with prayers for those missing, for those affected, and for all their families,” Casey Buckstaff, president of John Paul II High School, said. “Knowing that local parishes and schools were immediately impacted by family and friends who were in Kerr County during the floods and lost loved ones was hard to imagine.”
The initiative began with a moment of personal reflection for Buckstaff that turned into a call to action.
“On Sunday afternoon, with the weight still heavy on my heart, I was looking at the ‘ways to help’ sites and thought about how JPII could support people in need down there,” she said. “I saw all the different lists and thought about how our buses can hold so much and put the idea together that way.”
Buckstaff contacted the principal of the Catholic school in Kerrville to coordinate logistics and understand specific local needs. That same evening, she reached out to Chris Rebuck and Gabe Moreno, the presidents of Bishop Lynch and Bishop Dunne respectively.
“They were quick to add their schools’ support to the effort,” she said.
The goal is simple: fill school buses with emergency supplies, then deliver them directly to Notre Dame Catholic School in Kerrville, where families are in urgent need.
Requested donations include shelf-stable food, bottled water, hygiene items, cleaning supplies, diapers, paper products, and gift cards. A full list of items is available through each school’s office.
Drop-off sites will be open during the drive at:
- John Paul II High School, 900 Coit Rd., Plano
- Bishop Lynch High School, 9750 Ferguson Rd., Dallas
- Bishop Dunne Catholic School, 3900 Rugged Dr., Dallas
According to Buckstaff, school communities have mobilized quickly. Donations are being collected, and volunteers have already begun sorting and loading supplies.
Buckstaff said that her hope is that all the Catholic communities that make up the Diocese of Dallas will join JPII, Bishop Lynch, and Bishop Dunne in this initiative.
“I think we are going to have an impactful turnout on Monday,” Buckstaff said. “Here on our campus, faculty, staff, and some of our students have already volunteered to help load the donations. Several of us will drive the bus down later in the week.”
As the donations continue to roll in, the initial response has been one of “gratitude and prayers for initiating a local way to help,” Buckstaff said.
More than a relief drive, Buckstaff said the effort echoes a core mission of the school.
“At JPII, ‘Seek to Serve’ is a motto that we strive to live by each day,” Buckstaff said. “In acts large and small, we look for ways that we can contribute in a positive way to the larger community, whether our service is for the people walking beside us or the people in need farther away.”
“I hope this act of service, ‘Fill the Bus for Kerr County,’ is a reminder to each person’s heart to seek to serve in whatever way they are able every day,” she added.
Learn more about the “Fill the Bus for Kerr County” relief effort by visiting https://www.johnpauliihs.org/supporting-kerr-county.
Cutline for featured image: Crosses hang on a wall marked by the flood water at Camp Mystic in Kerr County, Texas, July 7, 2025, in the aftermath of deadly flooding. Flash floods in Texas killed more than 100 people over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, including girls attending a summer camp, and left others still missing. (OSV News photo/Sergio Flores, Reuters)
