LEESBURG, Fla. — Volunteers are continuing their renovations on a Lake County motel Thursday that is being turned into a place for homeless families to live. The First Baptist Church of Leesburg bought the Big Bass Motel (see map) last year and is turning it into the Good Samaritan Inn for the homeless.
The volunteers spent the morning ripping the roof off the hotel that will be rebuilt as a homeless shelter. Volunteers arrived bright and early Thursday, despite the cold, and began removing the roof of the old Big Bass Motel. The rooms will get a ground-up makeover in an effort to turn the old motel into a homeless shelter for families.
"It will be especially mothers with children that have been evicted from their homes, out in the streets, out in the woods," said Pastor Cliff Lea First Baptist Church of Leesburg.
The First Baptist Church of Leesburg bought the property that sits adjacent to their sanctuary and got great response from volunteers who believe in the effort, in spite of common criticism that often follows efforts to start homeless shelters.
"This is in nobody's back yard right here, and the homeless is everybody's problem. I mean, if it's in your backyard or not, it's here and it's not going to get better any time soon. We can obviously see that," volunteer Jack Logan said.
The first section of rooms will open in late May and provide not only rooms, but regular meals and help for each family to help them get back on their feet. The average stay is expected to be no longer than a year
"The goal is to get them a job and get them back out working and to be part of the community again," Logan said.
The church hopes to open parts of the facility to families in April 2010 and says it expects the center to cost about $100,000 per year to operate.