Good Samaritan Secures Free Roof for 85-year-old Veteran in Need

By Karen L. Edwards, RCS Editor.

Neighbor looks out for aging neighbors and the result is a new roof for this couple in need.

David Kirkpatrick’s lives in Longwood, Florida, close to Mr. and Mrs. Aden, a couple who are both 85 years old and have lived in their home in Longwood for 42 years. Mr. Aden is a United States Air Force Veteran who is a retired engineer. He worked on the famous Little Joe Rocket and Mercury Projects.

According to Wikipedia, the Little Joe Rocket was “an unmanned United States solid-fueled booster rocket used for eight launches from 1959–1960 from Wallops Island, Virginia to test the launch escape system and heat shield for Project Mercury capsules, as well as the name given to the test program using the booster. The first rocket designed solely for manned spacecraft qualifications, Little Joe was also one of the pioneer operational launch vehicles using the rocket cluster principle.” Mr. Aden was part of the engineering team that got us into outer space!

After Hurricane Irma, the couple was desperately in need of a new roof, but their insurance deductible was very high, and no one wanted to provide financing due to their advanced age and limited income on social security. When Kirkpatrick learned of his neighbors’ dilemma, he took it upon himself to start contacting local charities who might be able to help with the roof replacement. He found the Human Crisis Center to help with costs, ABC Supply Company agreed to help, and Buck Lumber was on board for woodwork that needed to be completed.

He was not as successful finding a roofing company to help but then he stopped into Longwood, Florida-based Collis Roofing where he met Senior Estimator Andrew Mosher. The company agreed to install the roof at no cost. Thanks to the efforts of David Kirkpatrick, the Adens are receiving the new roof that would not have been possible otherwise.

Do you know of someone in the industry who is ‘doing good deeds’ in their community? Help us catch them at it. Send news and information to info@rooferscoffeeshop.com

Source: Collis Roofing, Photo: Collis Roofing