Haute on the Ranch: God Bless Texas

Lending a helping hand, even when you don’t personally know someone, has always been both the cowboy mindset and the American way. When the team here at Savannah Sevens learned of the devastating toll wildfires have taken on the panhandle of Texas, we felt that responsibility to show our support.

The western lifestyle is deeply important to Savannah 7s – besides its influence on our fashion, it’s how owner Ryley Wimer grew up and how she and her family continue to live. The effect farmers and ranchers have on our everyday lives is extensive, from producing crops to raising livestock to providing general respect and care for our land. 

In this time of need, Savannah 7s has teamed up with XOXOart & Company to create incredibly meaningful merchandise with every penny of sales going to assist those gravely impacted by the Texas wildfires. We set a goal of raising $10,000, which will be given to the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association for distribution. We are so close to meeting that threshold, with just over $9,600 donated. Will you help move us over the finish line? 

The Design

Savannah 7s is selling a specialty graphic tee and koozie(sold out) in support of the Texas wildfire victims. When coming up with a design, we knew it had to be poignant and purposeful. 

Kim Neuendorff and Jessie Gibbons, the mother/daughter design team at XOXOart and Company, are artistic geniuses who put genuine thought and passion into what they create. We’ve carried their quality products for years and have collaborated on several previous exclusive items. Additionally, they are Texas-based: Kim married into a family who has owned ranch land for generations and has run cattle since 1881, making Jessie a 6th generation Texan. This project is personal for them and they immediately jumped at the opportunity to help make a difference.

The graphic tee Kim and Jessie have designed shares a simple yet significant message: God Made A Rancher. Inside each letter is hand-drawn imagery that depicts life on the land. Set against a watercolor sky, a rancher on his horse is driving cattle across an open range. Below this graphic is a second message: And He Will See Them Through. This is a gentle reminder to all of us that in times of distress, sadness or hardship, the situation is in the Lord’s hands and He will be there to sustain us.

Double printed on the softest ivory-colored fabric, this tee is $40 and comes in sizes Small-XXL. A matching koozie has been created in charcoal and features the Savannah 7s and XOXOart and Company logos next to the state of Texas. Koozies(sold out) sell in sets of five for $25 or ten for $45. We also have bundled a graphic tee and one koozie for $45. All proceeds from the sale of these items will be donated to the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.

The Wildfires

In late February, five wildfires ignited in the panhandle of Texas. It’s believed that power lines are to blame for starting at least one of the blazes – The Smokehouse Creek Fire. This fire alone has engulfed over a million acres and is considered the biggest wildfire to ever burn in the state.

The Texas Panhandle is the largest cattle-producing region of the world. So you can imagine, the aftermath of the wildfires has been heartbreaking: destroyed buildings and fencing, scorched land, and more than 7,000 dead cattle.

The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association has been around for more than 100 years and assists with livestock thefts and other ranch-related property losses. Their Disaster Relief Fund provides financial assistance to ranchers in both Texas and Oklahoma who are victims of a natural disaster, including the current wildfires. We have donated to their organization in the past and are proud to help contribute to their efforts now. God bless Texas.