Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, [email protected]  

CANYON, Texas — More than 250 gallons of hand sanitizer are being distributed across West Texas A&M University, thanks to a generous donation from a Texas company. 

Lily of the Desert Nutraceuticals, an organic aloe vera farm and processing facility whose corporate headquarters are in Denton, recently donated 252 gallons of sanitizer, which would retail for nearly $6,000. 

The company has been in personal care for more than 50 years and began manufacturing hand sanitizer during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. When retailers ordered too much sanitizer, Lily of the Desert ended up with a surplus. 

“We saw the opportunity to turn a tough situation for us into a positive one for universities and schools in Texas,” said Paige McCabe, Lily of the Desert’s director of purchasing, planning and logistics. “We are very happy that we were able to connect with WT and provide something the University could utilize.” 

The University is distributing the hand sanitizer in 8-oz. and gallon bottles. 

“The WTAMU Foundation is grateful for the generous contribution of sanitizer,” Dr. Todd Rasberry, vice president for philanthropy and external relations and executive director of the WTAMU Foundation. “The health and well-being of students, faculty, and staff is central to the educational mission and our long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.”  

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West campaign. 

About Lily of the Desert 

Lily of the Desert owns the organic aloe vera farms and processing facilities for manufacturing the numerous unique aloe vera products that carry its brand name, rare among such companies in the natural products industry. Its aloe vera is grown and processed in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and the desert of Mexico, and its corporate headquarters are in Denton, Texas. Lily of the Desert’s products can be found in 99 percent of health food stores and major grocery chains across the U.S. 

About West Texas A&M University 

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 60 undergraduate degree programs, 40 master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.