by Leisa Parsons, Area Communications Specialist
It is a stunning transformation worthy of the best home improvement show. Travis Park Church, a staple in downtown San Antonio since 1846, is one of the primary resources for the city’s homeless and refugees. They feed over 700 people a week and provide shelter for hundreds each evening.
Travis Park’s shower facilities for refugees and the homeless had been out of commission for several months due to safety concerns. The showers had fallen into such disrepair following years of heavy usage and flooding due to a roof collapse late last year.
Before the COVID shutdown, members from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the missionaries in the Texas San Antonio Mission served on a regular basis helping with Travis Park’s refugee efforts.
During a visit prior to the quarantine, Mission President, Jason Tveten, and President Dan Packard, counselor in the Hill Country Stake Presidency were visiting with the Pastor of Travis Park, Eric Vogt. As is often the case, President Packard asked if there was anything else the Church could do to help. Pastor Vogt said “Yes!” and took President Packard to view their rundown shower facilities.
He explained that their facilities were being used on alternate days to augment the City’s mobile showers, but that they were going to have to shut down the facilities over their safety concerns. President Packard responded: “I told him that I could not make any promises, but that we had people of good will in our congregation, and some of them are professional contractors.”
President Packard contacted Deron Stadler, of Stadler Custom Homes, for help. By mid May of this year, Stadler had a team assembled to begin the work. Along with donating his time, Stadler had asked his suppliers to donate supplies for the project. The bid to fix the shower facility was a fraction of the cost that it would have been. A request was sent to Salt Lake for the funds to complete the project. The Church quickly responded with a yes, and the work was able to begin.
Travis Park’s Associate Pastor, Gavin Rogers, is thrilled with the results of the new showers which are already serving up to 100 people a week. He hopes to do a formal “unveiling” after concerns over COVID lift.
