SAN ANTONIO – Thanks to a group of volunteers, hundreds of local fourth and seventh graders were given a tour through Mission San Jose despite the ongoing government shutdown.
Mission San Jose is one of the many federal parks that have been closed since the shutdown, furloughing the park rangers who run the site.
Deborah Lund of the Professional Tour Guide Association of San Antonio said the tours are typically, “scheduled in advance and the Conservation Society of San Antonio pays for these trips.”
She said that the tours are usually conducted by the park rangers as well.
Through coordination between the Arch Diocese of San Antonio, the Professional Tour Guide Association of San Antonio and the Conservation Society of San Antonio, students were able to continue to learn about Texas history during the shutdown.
The volunteers, who are dedicating their time towards running the tours, said it’s all worth it.
“How important our missions are, what it means to our community, makes it worth it,” Lund said.
She said the organization is always looking for more professional tour guides. Click here to learn more.
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