Area Companies, Schools, Individuals Show They Care
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
That's why more than 1,200 volunteers converged on 140 homes throughout Kosciusko County Wednesday. The stories of the people they helped were different, but many of them had a common theme.
Amy Abbott has lived in her home on Main Street in Syracuse for 13 years.
She said she felt guilty because she associated Day of Caring projects with the elderly or those who are infirmed.
But Abbott had several projects around the house that were started but never finished.
In September, her husband of 24 years, Eddie, found out he had brain cancer.
By January, just after his 46th birthday, he died.
“It’s been a rough year,” said Abbott. “(Day of Caring) just shows how supportive this community is. United Way is a great organization.”
Abbott said she didn’t know what to do while a crew of DePuy replaced the bathroom floor and the ceiling tile of the home.
Abbott said the home, built in 1891, was in need of several repairs and that her husband started most of those projects before his diagnosis.
While crews worked, Abbott worked on homework. She’s gone back to school where she plans to major in office administration with a focus in the medical field.
Abbott said she hoped to work in the hospice field after her own experiences with her husband.
“When you get, basically a death sentence, the person who has it, especially with brain cancer, doesn’t understand,” said Abbott. “And then you have the people they left behind. My husband left behind six grandchildren.”
Now Abbott is adjusting to life without her husband.
Because of her husband’s job she was able to stay at home, raise children and not ever have to worry about working.
Now she’s trying to scrape by while also going to school.
“It’s an adjustment,” said Abbott.
Despite the tragedy that has taken place in her life, Abbott still told Day of Caring organizers that if someone was more in need of projects done to go with them first.
Abbott was put on a waiting list.
Because of the influx of volunteers, Abbott’s projects could be worked on.
Even then Abbott deferred to those more in need.
“They said don’t worry about it,” said Abbott. “We have plenty of volunteers.”
DePuy had more than 380 employees out Wednesday. Their corporate rival Zimmer had more than 170.
But rivalries were set aside Wednesday as those companies and several others, along with volunteers from churches and Grace College, worked on projects.
Lake Estates, a manufactured homes community located off Irish Lake, had Day of Caring crews out for the first time Wednesday.
Kevin Kline, who has lived at Lake Estates for two years, was having his roof done Wednesday.
“All I can say is, ‘God Bless ’em’,” said Kline. “What they are doing is great.”
Kline had plans of making repairs to his home. But several surgeries later and that was no longer possible.
Kline had three leaks in his roof.
“It got so bad that when it rained, I couldn’t even cook,” said Kline.
Many of the 124 homes at Lake Estates have senior citizens or people on fixed incomes.
According to Cookie Krygowski, wife of Lake Estates manager Larry Krygowski, many at Lake Estates are on Social Security.
In total, six projects took place at Lake Estates Wednesday.
Kline’s project was expected to take longer than that.
Dale Schulze is an engineer at DePuy who works in the company’s legal department.
He worked on Kline’s home. He said a group of volunteers were going to come back after Wednesday to finish the roofing project.
“This is a team-building exercise for us,” said Schulze, “as well as helping someone out.”
Schulze said Kline was extremely excited when the crew showed up at his house around 8 a.m.
“(Kline) really wants to help us out,” said Schulze. “He’s tried to do whatever he can to help us.”
Des Statler has lived at her home at Lake Estates for nine years.
A crew from Zimmer worked on painting her home and taking out an old shrub.
Statler said she was first made aware of Day of Caring when Housing Opportunities of Warsaw came out to do a weatherization program.
Statler has had her water heater replaced, bathroom floor fixed and stove pilots fixed.
She works as a prep cook and waitress at Barbee Landing.
After an injury, she’s been trying to play catch up with bills. She’s taken on extra shifts whenever she can.
She said she was grateful for the help she received during Day of Caring.
“This is great,” said Statler. “There’s no way I could have done all this by myself. I’m so thankful.”[[In-content Ad]]
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That's why more than 1,200 volunteers converged on 140 homes throughout Kosciusko County Wednesday. The stories of the people they helped were different, but many of them had a common theme.
Amy Abbott has lived in her home on Main Street in Syracuse for 13 years.
She said she felt guilty because she associated Day of Caring projects with the elderly or those who are infirmed.
But Abbott had several projects around the house that were started but never finished.
In September, her husband of 24 years, Eddie, found out he had brain cancer.
By January, just after his 46th birthday, he died.
“It’s been a rough year,” said Abbott. “(Day of Caring) just shows how supportive this community is. United Way is a great organization.”
Abbott said she didn’t know what to do while a crew of DePuy replaced the bathroom floor and the ceiling tile of the home.
Abbott said the home, built in 1891, was in need of several repairs and that her husband started most of those projects before his diagnosis.
While crews worked, Abbott worked on homework. She’s gone back to school where she plans to major in office administration with a focus in the medical field.
Abbott said she hoped to work in the hospice field after her own experiences with her husband.
“When you get, basically a death sentence, the person who has it, especially with brain cancer, doesn’t understand,” said Abbott. “And then you have the people they left behind. My husband left behind six grandchildren.”
Now Abbott is adjusting to life without her husband.
Because of her husband’s job she was able to stay at home, raise children and not ever have to worry about working.
Now she’s trying to scrape by while also going to school.
“It’s an adjustment,” said Abbott.
Despite the tragedy that has taken place in her life, Abbott still told Day of Caring organizers that if someone was more in need of projects done to go with them first.
Abbott was put on a waiting list.
Because of the influx of volunteers, Abbott’s projects could be worked on.
Even then Abbott deferred to those more in need.
“They said don’t worry about it,” said Abbott. “We have plenty of volunteers.”
DePuy had more than 380 employees out Wednesday. Their corporate rival Zimmer had more than 170.
But rivalries were set aside Wednesday as those companies and several others, along with volunteers from churches and Grace College, worked on projects.
Lake Estates, a manufactured homes community located off Irish Lake, had Day of Caring crews out for the first time Wednesday.
Kevin Kline, who has lived at Lake Estates for two years, was having his roof done Wednesday.
“All I can say is, ‘God Bless ’em’,” said Kline. “What they are doing is great.”
Kline had plans of making repairs to his home. But several surgeries later and that was no longer possible.
Kline had three leaks in his roof.
“It got so bad that when it rained, I couldn’t even cook,” said Kline.
Many of the 124 homes at Lake Estates have senior citizens or people on fixed incomes.
According to Cookie Krygowski, wife of Lake Estates manager Larry Krygowski, many at Lake Estates are on Social Security.
In total, six projects took place at Lake Estates Wednesday.
Kline’s project was expected to take longer than that.
Dale Schulze is an engineer at DePuy who works in the company’s legal department.
He worked on Kline’s home. He said a group of volunteers were going to come back after Wednesday to finish the roofing project.
“This is a team-building exercise for us,” said Schulze, “as well as helping someone out.”
Schulze said Kline was extremely excited when the crew showed up at his house around 8 a.m.
“(Kline) really wants to help us out,” said Schulze. “He’s tried to do whatever he can to help us.”
Des Statler has lived at her home at Lake Estates for nine years.
A crew from Zimmer worked on painting her home and taking out an old shrub.
Statler said she was first made aware of Day of Caring when Housing Opportunities of Warsaw came out to do a weatherization program.
Statler has had her water heater replaced, bathroom floor fixed and stove pilots fixed.
She works as a prep cook and waitress at Barbee Landing.
After an injury, she’s been trying to play catch up with bills. She’s taken on extra shifts whenever she can.
She said she was grateful for the help she received during Day of Caring.
“This is great,” said Statler. “There’s no way I could have done all this by myself. I’m so thankful.”[[In-content Ad]]
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