Colorado Republican officers who organized a donation drive to help victims of Hurricane Harvey traveled to Houston Monday so the local GOP’s governing body can thank them for the relief operation, which sent four full truckloads of supplies to the Gulf Coast earlier this month.

The Harris County Republican Party’s executive committee was scheduled to honor Denver GOP chairman Jake Viano and 2nd Vice Chair Kristina Cook and Colorado Republican Party Chairman Jeff Hays for the massive effort Viano and Jefferson County GOP Chairman Joe Webb launched a month ago when Harvey hit the region.

Viano recalled he was watching the news late on a Friday when the storm hit.

“I’ve spent quite a bit of time there – I have some friends there, I’ve been to the Harris County GOP offices before – and I couldn’t believe the level of devastation, and, imagine if that were to happen here with my friends and family, just losing everything,” he told Colorado Politics. “I said, we’ve got to do something, we’ve got to help these folks. It occurred to me that as the chairman, I have a little leverage.” He said he called Webb that night and the two agreed the county parties could lend a hand.

“We got to work, and it took off – it took off quick,” Viano said.

Donations started to show up at metro area county GOP headquarters, and before long several people offered to transport them to the Houston area.

“Diapers, waters, baby formula, food, toiletries, blankets, towels – I would have a hard time pinpointing one specific item, we had a ton of stuff,” Viano said. “People keep giving me all the credit, but there were so many people involved. Colorado Feed the Kids came in and donated 56,000 dehydrated rice and bean meals – that was incredible.”

Cook said before departing that she was honored to be able to help and was looking forward to visiting with a friend she hasn’t seen since the eighth grade whose family was displaced by the record-setting storm.

“It was an exciting time to be able to do something, instead of just sit idly by and watch as these photos of destruction on television come by,” she said. “The real people who need to be recognized are the ones who actually drove the trucks, the ones who donated the goods – those are the real heroes in this situation.”

The Denver GOP also dedicated all of its fundraising during the first three weeks of September to the relief effort.

The effort was personal for Hays, who grew up in a small town about 50 miles southwest of Houston and has family in the area.

“This is a catastrophe of biblical proportions,” he said as the donation drive launched. ” To see the people of Colorado, my home by choice, link arms with the people of Texas, the home of my childhood, means more to me than I can say.”

On Friday, Hays told Colorado Politics it had been overwhelming to see the outpouring of support.

“It’s hard to keep a dry eye,” he said.