Drippin' Jeeps lends four wheels and more during storm

During some of the coldest days of the recent winter storms, as the ice became thicker and the snow started to fall, many people were left stranded in their homes with no way to get out for drinking water or food. Some who tried found themselves sliding on ice and having to abandon their vehicles. That’s where Drippin’ Jeeps, a social club for Jeep enthusiasts, stepped in.

“Members have helped winch vehicles out of the ditch or up icy hills,” Jill Zeimann, club founder said. “My husband and I even helped some kids winch their golf cart back onto the icy road in our neighborhood. We are used to winching the Jeeps up the rugged terrain at Hidden Falls and out on the trails. There's a rule to never go out on a trail alone, so we're always helping fellow Jeepers out on the trails. This is no different so we're happy to help people get out of the ditches and back on the roads or to safety.”

As the storms progressed and caused power to be knocked out, pipes to burst and left the roadways even more dangerous, the members of Drippin’ Jeeps stepped up even further becoming a sort of concierge service. From firewood, food and water deliveries, to providing rides to people who needed to get to work or to pick up medication, the Jeep enthusiasts say it was good to meet people and it brought them joy to be able to help their community.

“The people we delivered to have been extremely grateful for having the wood to keep warm,” Zeimann said. “We did not charge anyone for this as we were happy to provide them with a source to keep warm. It was great to meet new people in Dripping Springs and hear how they were surviving during the snowpocalypse. We also delivered food to the workers at Ledgestone Assisted Living, which was all thanks to Jesse James, Pieous and a mom of one of the workers there who helped coordinate it all. We were happy to help deliver the food to them as they had been without power for hours and looking after the residents there with a limited staff.”

Erik Strickland one of the founders of Drippin’ Jeeps delivered water and adult beverages to people around Dripping Springs, and even helped a guy with a broken lug nut one night along with several others. Kevin Fletcher another founder of the club said, “I've mostly been helping random neighbors, either with siphoning gas from the Jeep to the generator, or extracting families from houses without power and uniting them with their families that do, or just plain awareness and cross-posting on FB groups to share information about what's open, gas, who can give a ride, etc.”

Drippin’ Jeeps is a group on Facebook for Jeep owners living in the Dripping Springs area. If you have a Jeep, you can join at facebook.com/groups/DrippinJeeps.