Mentone Class Of 1973 Raises Funds For New Roof For Classmate With Cancer
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
MENTONE - Mentone resident Cindy Nellans will be surprised with a new steel roof on her residence when she comes home from cancer treatment in Chicago.
Nellans, who lives by herself at 517 N. Broadway in Mentone, has suffered from cancer for the past 3-1/2 years.
She has had nine operations in the past two years and went to a Chicago hospital Wednesday to have another cancer treatment, according to former classmate Rusty Rowland.
Rowland said Nellans is expected to come home from the hospital this weekend.
He said Nellans called him to get a cost estimate to put a new roof on her home that was aging.
Rowland, owner of Rowland Construction, Burket, graduated from Mentone High School in 1973 with Nellans.
Rowland told Nellans he would install the new steel roof on Nellans' home and contacted her former classmates to help with the costs of installing the roof.
Rowland said she told him while she had been in cancer treatments her refrigerator had broken and did not have the money to cover the costs of installing a new roof for her home.
Rowland contacted classmates by phone Wednesday asking if they would be interested in donating funds for the project.
There were 24 of Nellans' former classmates from the Mentone High School class of 1973 who live in Mentone, Akron, Wabash, Texas, Indianapolis, and New Mexico who raised $2,400 for the steel roof.
"It was excellent how the class came together to assist a classmate in need in such a short time period," Rowland said.
Rowland began steel roof construction on the home Friday morning and the roof was completed Friday night.
Rowland said it is quicker to install a steel roof than a roof with shingles.
"I'm not trying to be a hero by putting a steel roof over the home, but wanted to help Cindy," Rowland said.
There were seven other Rowland Construction employees who assisted him in constructing the roof.
Nicorr, a Mentone steel company, sold Rowland Construction the steel material at a discounted rate.
Darrel Miller, Mentone, was one of the classmates who donated funds towards the roof project.
"I'm glad our classmates could pull together to help Cindy in a time of need," Miller said.
He said he attended middle school and high school with Nellans.
Matt Shafer, Wabash, another former classmate of Nellans said he also was happy to contribute to the roof funds.
"It is great that classmates worked together to raise funds for the roof," Shafer said.
Shafer and his wife Nancy, who both graduated high school with Nellans, contributed funds toward the project.
