Texas Laundromat Provides Laundry Relief to Flood Victims

WIMBERLEY, Texas — When heavy rain and flash floods hit Wimberley over the Memorial Day weekend, residents didn’t expect how much damage the weather conditions would create, says Louise Messano, co-owner of Wash Day Laundry.

“I don’t think people realized how bad it was,” she says. “It was probably Monday when things really got crazy.”

In the wake of the destruction, Messano, and co-owners Jamie Bishop and Tom Vuono, opened the doors of their Laundromat to help with volunteer efforts in providing free laundry services to area residents.

The project was spearheaded by four local business owners: Deborah Hempel-Medina, Lorrie Brodnax, Jennifer Reyes and Kristan Johnson, according to Messano.

Wash Day Laundry agreed to provide its laundry services to the relief efforts at a 50% discount to the group.

To help with costs, a GoFundMe.com fundraising page, titled “Wimberley Flood Relief,” was set up. As of June 2, the group was able to raise $13,756.

Support not only came in the form of monetary donations, but from locals volunteering their time to the project, as well as laundry essentials, like detergents. Organizations, like OdoBan, donated two pallets of its disinfectant solutions to the cause, as well, according to Messano.

Most recently, The Salvation Army has deployed a mobile laundry unit here, which features three washers and three dryers, and is furnished with necessary laundry supplies, according to the organization.

The mobile laundry facility provided by The Salvation Army has become part of the volunteer efforts, according to Messano.

“Volunteers are going to the Salvation Army washer-dryer facility [where] we donated the products we [have],” says Messano.

There, volunteers assist with pre-cleaning garments that were heavily soiled in the flood, prior to washing the garments in the Laundromat, according to Messano.

To date, the group and its volunteers have cleaned more than 6,500 pounds of clothing, according to its GoFundMe site.

The group further explains on the site that it expects to continue receiving laundry until Friday, and that the amount of clothes coming in has “decreased considerably in the last few days.”

“I think it takes one more chore off of people’s backs,” says Messano of the relief efforts.

Though the town is steadily rebuilding itself as the group helps locals with their laundry needs, Messano says the process is an ongoing effort.

“I think what’s important in a little community like this is you need to know who’s on board, who’s going to be there for the long haul,” says Messano. “[Locals] need to know that we, as owners, are open, doing whatever we need to do, for as long as we need to do, to make sure that the community is taken care of.”

Any funds remaining in the group’s fundraising efforts will be donated to The Barnabas Connection, a local charity that is also assisting flood victims, according to the group’s GoFundMe page.

Volunteers assist with washing and folding laundry at Wash Day Laundry, Wimberley, Texas, for locals who have been affected by the heavy rain and flash floods that have hit the area recently. (Photos: Louise Messano/Wash Day Laundry)

Wash Day Laundry and a group of four local business owners have raised more than $13,000 to fund the project. To date, the group has washed more than 6,500 pounds of laundry.

Aid has not only come in the form of monetary donations, as locals from the community have also volunteered their time to the cause, as well as laundry supplies, like detergents.

Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Bruce Beggs at [email protected].