Helping America's Cajun Navy

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - The self-proclaimed 'Bubbas in bass boats' were everywhere and quickly earned the admiration and affection of the pretty much everyone in the Houston area during Hurricane Harvey. The reputation of America's Cajun Navy lives on.

"I think they good a good job," remembers Deacon Staton. "They came in and helped the city out a lot when the city was in need."

They even got praise from Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Houston Police Department Chief Art Acevedo,  especially after assisting in the search for a police officer who was swept away in the floodwaters.

Taylor Fontenot, the Texas Captain of America's Cajun Navy, says the storm couldn't break Houston but it almost broke some of fhe volunteers.

"Nonprofit means no income," adds Fontenot.

But while the city tries to learn lessons about how to handle the next one, so is the Cajun Navy. The group has a plan and a wish list.

"High water vehicles." says Fontenot. "We need deuce-and-a-half, some five-tons, that way our boats can be more efficient in the water. Instead of having them come to where its shallow and walk the boats up to get people off, we can just go up to where those trucks are in five feet of water, go over the side and that's a whole lot more people we can help."

That equipment is not cheap, so the group is raising money by selling raffle tickets at $20 each. The Cajun Navy will visit the winner's home and throw a crawfish boil. The navy will provide the 'mudbugs,' the side dishes, a little beer -- the works. 

The grand prize sound pretty appealing to Sharanda Davis, who coincidentally is working on a movie project about Hurricane Harvey..

"We would definitely help," says Davis. "You return the favor. You return the favor."

For anyone interested in buying some raffle tickets, Visit https://www.facebook.com/Americas-Cajun-Navy-307856892956919/ and send the Cajun Navy a message.

The drawing is on June 2.