By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
When I pulled into the parking lot of The Salvation Army at 601 51st St. in Galveston, I thought maybe the facility had been painted. It had a slight glimmer to it that made it look newly painted. My memories were of a building that seemed to be covered with soot and trees that hung all around in awkward places. The Salvation Army Corps Officer Maj. David Swyers explained my different perception of the campus in a surprising way.
“All we had done was pressure washing.” Swyers said.
It just didn’t seem possible that pressure washing could have made such a beautiful change. He assured me several times; it was pressure washing that had made it look so renewed. Both the building and the sidewalks were pressure washed and continue to be pressure washed when needed.
Not only has the campus been pressure washed, but also many bushes and shrubberies have been removed under Swyers’ leadership. Also part of the beautification is the trimming of the palm trees. These actions mean the facility no longer appears shaggy or old.
In addition to looking better, the Galveston campus is also safer. As Swyers explained, keeping the vegetation trimmed allows for lines of sight.
Swyers added that every part of the premises is surveilled by a camera.
So now visitors can approach the building with a sense of safety, and like me, admire the well-kept facility and enjoy one of Galveston’s Turtles About Town that is set in the front lawn of the facility.
These efforts are all about being a good steward of the property, which is a Biblical and Salvation Army concept that Swyers lives and breathes.
Swyers’ parents were leaders in The Salvation Army. In fact, every home and every vehicle that he remembers as a child was owned by The Salvation Army.
“If I slammed the car door too loudly, my dad would explain to me that I was not being a good steward of God’s vehicle,” Swyers said.
As this example shows, his sense of stewardship was ingrained in him as a child, and Swyers has not departed from his childhood training.
His parents retired from their service in The Salvation Army after having served as leaders for the entire the Western United States including Guam.
The Swyers family has been serving God’s people since the late 1800s, when his grandfather Lt. Col. Swyers ran all the operations for The Salvation Army in Texas. The family tradition carries on in David Swyers and his brother Phil Swayers.
Salvation Army Maj. Phil Swyers stepped into Kerrville just one week before the tragedy of the Guadalupe River flood, according to David Swyers.
“I had advised my brother on all the things to do in Kerrville and where to watch the fireworks,” Swyers said.
Swyers shared that when his brother got a call at 5:30 on the morning of July Fourth from the manager at Walmart, Maj. Phil Swyers responded and was in the Walmart parking lot with people and equipment to serve those in need by 6:30 a.m.
David Swyers is very fond of his older brother, who garners a lot of media attention, and the Galveston Swyers thinks maybe his brother will advance to holding the rank of lieutenant colonel someday. David Swyers isn’t just fond of his older brother; he is proud of the work his brother has done to support communities in times of disaster.
As we entered the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, I inquired about what types of services our local Salvation Army will be able to provide. Swyers assured me that as soon as danger is known out in the Gulf, he and others throughout Texas strategize via video conferences.
The first phase of help in the event of a devastating hurricane is staging mobile support units outside of the danger zone. As a Salvation Army Corps Officer, Swyers can activate up to 52 mobile support units, which include, kitchens, showers, and laundry units.
After Hurricane Beryl in July 2024, The Salvation Army kitchen in Galveston had power and the team provided food for those in need. But then the power supply to the property encountered problems. Nonetheless, Swyers reported, the team continued to do its best to provide food, though its members were sweltering in the heat of the building.
“Because someone saw our efforts, I can report we have a donor who is considering providing generators to keep the facility operating in future power outages,” Swyers shared.
Once the immediate needs that result from a disaster have been satisfied and a community shifts into recovery, The Salvation Army continues its service via case managers who begin to help people as they move forward.
“During recovery phase, we may be writing checks for people or giving them gift cards or clothing vouchers,” Swyers explained.
Serving people affected by disasters is just one form of aid The Salvation Army renders. Another form is serving the basic needs of people who are on the margins of society. It’s another aspect of the mission that is very near and dear to Swyers’ heart.
He is not only a steward of The Salvation Army’s grounds and buildings on the island. He is also a shepherd of the flock who attend services on Sundays and reach out for help every day of the week. On the first Sunday of the month, Swyers will be drawing insipiring his flock with the same passage of the Bible found in the Old Testament.
“Joshua 1:1-9: Every place you place your foot I have given to you,” Swyers shared.
This verse, he said, Is a dearly valued promise from God that he cherishes and he shares with his flock.
Another passage that brings him great comfort and he shares with those he serves is Psalm 46:10, which says, “Be still and know that I am God.”
For him, being still with the Lord is paramount to keeping him focused on doing God’s work.
“If I don’t take time to be still and listen, then I will no longer be serving God,” explained Swyers. “I will begin to act out of my own will.”
Because of his lifelong service in The Salvation Army, Swyers understands the deeply wounded people who he assists, and his fervent desire is that each of them know they are valued and loved.
“No one grows up saying, I can’t wait to have The Salvation Army help me out someday,” Swayers said.
He added that people who come to The Salvation Army are usually broken and feel they have no worth. He and his staff guide them to finding their worth in the eyes of the Lord.
“We tell them God redeems all of us; he doesn’t just care about the pretty people,” Swyers said.
Swayers is a man who raised four children as a single father. Now his children are grown and making their way out into the adult world. Even so, he knows the work of parenting is never done, just as the work of serving the people in their times of need is never done.
If a disaster strikes Galveston County, we can count on Maj. David Swayers and his staff to take up the responsibility of bringing every asset available to assist our community. We can also count on Swyers to bring the loving embrace of our Heavenly Father to disaster victims and to people throughout the year who find themselves thrown upon the rocks of life.
If you would like to know more about how you can donate to The Salvation Army, please find them at: https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/galveston.
