Tino Hernandez

Tino Hernandez

By Christi Snow Saturday, 07 July 2007

Although Tino Hernandez retired from insurance work several years ago, he still has a full time job — volunteering and running several major community events.

“Once I retired, I threw away my organizer,” he said. “I said, ‘Thank God I am through with that.’ A few months later, I am back at the store buying another one. Now I have two.”

In the 1980s, Hernandez joined a group of businessmen who participated in a Christmas project designed to provide for needy families. When the group disbanded, Hernandez wanted to continue.

“I didn’t have the money to do it,” he said. “So I found the people who did.”

Hernandez gathered about 15 sponsors to fund the project dubbed Just Because. Almost 20 years later, it has around 400 participants who serve at least 450 families.

Every child’s bike

Tino and his parents were born and raised in Round Rock. Growing up, he remembers a very different community that could not yet claim to be a city.

“We would say we had 1,800 people, but I think that was counting the cats and dogs.”

As a boy, he always wanted a bike, but that was not in the family budget.

“We lived in the flats,” he said. “I had a friend who would come over, and he had a bike. I would give him a quarter to ride it. A quarter was a lot of money back then. I guess I have a heart for kids to own the bike I never had. I want kids to have their ‘bike,’ whatever it is.”

His passion for needy families led to involvement in another project called Annie’s Way Thanksgiving dinner. He directs it without a committee or budget by sending the event information to the media, which passes along his request for people to bring something to share with the needy families who come.

“We invite the world,” he said. “It’s a covered dish affair for 1,000 people. We have no clue what will show up.”

Somehow it all comes together, although he admits some past worries. One Thanksgiving, they only had four or five pies. A volunteer finally asked Hernandez if he should pick up a few more at the nearby Albertson’s store. Concerned, Hernandez agreed, and soon the man returned with cases and cases of pies.

“[At the bakery] they said, ‘Where were you? We were waiting for you,’” Hernandez said.

Under control

Hernandez said he does not organize in advance because he does not have time. Just a few weeks before Annie’s Way, he is often on a medical mission trip. When he gets home, he only has time for a publicity campaign.

“The Lord is in control, and we have a giving community,” he said. “Invariably someone will bring what we need. I start getting nervous about bread, and lo and behold, there are suddenly 20 loaves of bread.”

When not organizing the holiday events or traveling on mission trips, Hernandez participates in numerous service groups including the Lions Club, Sertoma, El Amistad and St. William’s Catholic Church, sometimes serving in leadership positions. This year, he is president of the Sunrise Rotary Club. These groups give him more opportunities for volunteering and asking others to volunteer. Still, he is quick to note that he does not do it alone.

“A lot of people help with this,” he said. “I just get credit for it.”