A year to the day after getting World Heritage status, the Missions National Park faces an uncomfortable deadline. And that deadline involves a lot of money. Susan Chandoah runs Los Compadres, the Missions National Park friends group.
"Our Missions grant is for $236,000."
That $236,000 is a slice of $2 million that are being given to several National Parks in a peculiar contest of sorts. That contest is one that you can actually participate in.
"You can win your grant through popular vote through online voting."
Twenty parks are in the running and the Missions has its work cut out for it.
"Probably about the Top 8 will win a preservation grant. This park is currently is 13th place; we have been stuck there. So we only need to move five places," she said. "We were the only National Park in Texas that was selected. So we need to get the entire state behind us."
That $236,000 will be used for drainage problems, but then also something more graphic.
"It will be used to preserve the decorative frescoes or wall art and plasters. They are 18th Century and there are none other like them in the country."
If you want to vote, you can register at voteyourpark.org/missions. And unlike your vote in the upcoming Presidential race, you get to vote more than once.
"Vote every 24 hours. If you do social media put it on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter page. Get all of your friends, relatives, business associates, anybody that you can think of. Encourage them to vote."
There's a deadline in the voting, and it's coming up fast.
"We have until July 5th."
Find more on how to vote here.
