Extreme Makeover in San Marcos

Church youth volunteers helps residents rebuild their homes and lives

By Buck Scheib

San Marcos — Time hasn’t forgotten the old wooden-plank house or its elderly owner — thanks to some hard working youths spending their summer vacations in San Marcos helping him and others.

Yet, hidden between Thorpe Lane and the IH 35 access road, behind a facade of modern apartment complexes, is a quiet space time did forget. It’s here Manuel Moreno, age 84, lives alone in his 500-square-foot house that neighbors and friends once helped him build on Jackson Lane.

He’s raised six children in the old place built from one by 12–inch solid board planks. The former local ranch hand now frequently walks with a cane because of some recent back surgery for a pinched nerve.

Both he and the old house need help.

That’s why young Methodist Church volunteers from Texas, Kansas, Louisiana and Missouri are in San Marcos this summer working on Moreno’s home and similar ones. They pay to come here to be part of the San Marcos River Work Camp Housing Rehabilitation Program. Money from their fees supports the program that is sponsored by the Southside Community Center.

“My dad worked very hard all his life on ranches and in construction. He’s never really asked for anything for himself,” says Moreno’s youngest daughter, Hilda Garcia. “He is a good father who always thought about everyone else first. He’s in sort of a dream right now. After years of caring about others, he can’t believe that all these wonderful people are now helping him.”

She said the original family home was built on the site in 1906. Fire destroyed it in 1956 and people in thecommunity pitched in to build the present one.

A group of about 30 young people from the First United Methodist Church of Alvord and also the Industry United Methodist Church are here this week working on this property and others. Tim Abel, pastor of the Industry Methodist Church brought 18 youths and five adults.

“Industry is a town of about 300 people located about 15 miles South of Brenham. What better way to build a youth program at our church than to come here and actually demonstrate service to others? But don’t get me wrong. We have fun,” Abel said.

He said the summer camp workers stay in dorms at Texas State, go tubing on the river, dine out at local restaurants and enjoy other social activities including daily devotionals.

Southside provides volunteers a skilled professional carpenter who supervises all work on every site. Mark Norris of Kyle has been a building supervisor the past four years.

“The man’s washing machine was outside the house,” he gestures at Moreno’s home. “So we built it a subfloor, enclosed it, and made an entrance to it from inside the home. Now, he doesn’t have to go outside anymore to wash clothes. In addition, the bathroom was an add-on. It was so small that its sink was on the other side of the wall in the bedroom. So, we are moving that wall out making the bathroom large enough for a new sink and bathtub. The plumbing was a nightmare.”

Other work in progress includes replacing two porches, changing out windows and doors, installing sheetrock and new tile floors and adding a new roof.

“There’s only one word for the young people doing this type of work. That word is – fantastic. These jobs are not for the weak. But you know, you really get a lot out of this. You come down here and meet the families. It’s just a good feeling to help them. Anything we can do to improve the life of families in San Marcos is a good for everyone,” he says.

About 390 volunteers will come here in teams to spend about a week working on up to 17 homes.

“The purpose of the program is to bring neighborhood revitalization back into poor areas of San Marcos,” says Ruben Garza, executive director of Southside. “It’s also a good way to prevent homelessness. Some homes would probably be condemned if we didn’t go in and fix them. That means the occupants might end up on the streets.”

Garza said the program has been in operation for about 24 years and has worked on literally hundreds of homes. To qualify, participants must meet federal poverty guidelines and other requirements. To find out more, go to southsidecommunitycenter.org or call 392-6694.

Southside is a non-profit organization located at 518 Guadalupe Street.