Volunteer firefighters Kathy Cargile and Paul Hostetler of the Roxton and Brookston volunteer fire departments are grateful to Ørsted’s support in combating summer grass fires in Texas.

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Paul: I’ve lived in Lamar County my whole life—born and raised here in Brookston, where the Ørsted Mockingbird Solar Center is now.

My grandparents were part of the first families to hay the land that now makes up the Nature Conservancy. We’ve been working land out here ever since.  

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Kathy: I moved here to Lamar County in 2021 after retiring from a 30-year career in global sales and community development for a major airline.

My family and I immediately fell in love with the people here, the community spirit, and the small-town charm. I love the history of this place.

Kathy: I became a member of the Roxton volunteer fire department (VFD) and saw we needed to raise funds for some new equipment. Ørsted was relatively new here, too, so I approached them about a fundraiser I was planning. They’ve since donated funds to help us build an extension to our Roxton VFD.

Paul: Here at the Brookston VFD, we really appreciate that Ørsted purchased a beautiful side-by-side vehicle, which helps fight grass fires that can flare up in the hot summer months. I had the opportunity to get involved with Ørsted during the pre-planning phase of the Mockingbird project. From the start, they made sure to help us understand what the project was, and how it would affect the community. Ørsted has been very reliable. They’ve done what they promised they would do. The tax revenues the county receives from the solar farm are a big benefit to the community, too. At the school that I went to—where my son attends now—thanks to the additional revenue, they’re adding lots of new educational programs and diversifying the learning options.

Kathy: It’s great to have Ørsted in our community. Solar power is supporting our growth and economic development, so we can stand firm as a small Texas community. I think other communities like ours should do their research and discover what the advantages are to partnering with a company like Ørsted.

Paul: Clean energy definitely will help rural communities like ours. It’s the future—we’re going to have to move toward it more to protect the planet. And in places like Lamar County, clean energy development brings money and jobs. When you’ve got a good partner like Ørsted, you’ll see the benefits.