Radio Station, Heating Company Give Family a Warm Christmas
Posted
Daniel Riordan-driordan@timesuniononline.com
In this economy, stories like that of Gale and Kathy Sopher have become more common.
Both work full time and try to make ends meet.
But as it often does, one thing led to another. A car accident started a string of costly expenditures.
Next came unexpected home repairs.
Then finally, after a heavy snowstorm hit the area in late November, the Sophers lost power for nearly 18 hours.
After the power finally came back on, their furnace worked for about an hour before going out.
A repairman came and told the Sophers they needed a new furnace.
Credit issues didn’t allow for financing and the cost for a new furnace, anywhere between $1,700 to $3,500, was too much for a family living on such a tight budget.
South Bend country music station B100 teamed up with Kozon Plumbing and Heating to help the Sophers out.
The radio station was running a promotion to help grant families’ Christmas wishes.
After their furnace went out, the Sophers were using space heaters to keep the home somewhat warm.
They had to use heating pads on their wood floors to keep one of their older dogs warm.
The Sophers’ 20-year-old daughter, Kaylen, wrote B100 a letter explaining her family’s situation.
“This is hard for me to ask for assistance but I don’t know what else to do. I wish that I could purchase a furnace somehow for our family but there is no way possible. We struggle like any other family does, but my only Christmas wish this year is for our family to receive a furnace,” Kaylen said in her letter.
“I have the most wonderful daughter in the whole wide world,” said Kathy. “She realized there might not be a Christmas this year because we needed a furnace. And she was totally fine with it.”
Kaylen goes to Ivy Tech and works part time to help her family.
Thursday, Kozon put in the Sopher’s new furnace.
“Kozon Plumbing & Heating began as a family business and continues to operate as such today. Our company could not have reached the success we are at today without friends, family and most of all supportive customers,” said a representative for Kozon. “After all, our customers and contractors are the ones who keep us in business, they deserve the best possible service we can deliver and that goes beyond just a professional relationship. Our community has supported us for many years and we love to take the opportunity to give a little back.”
Kathy said she felt so fortunate because she knows there are so many families out there who are struggling even more than hers is.
“For us things just snowballed, as they do for a lot of families,” said Kathy. “I feel bad because we know so many people are worse off. We just feel so fortunate.”
