A disabled Pennsylvania veteran received a roof for his damaged home after a local roofing company reached out to help.
“The city was getting involved, and she was concerned about losing her house,” Laurence Rissler, owner of LR Roofing Systems, told WTAJ.
Rissler said he received a call from the woman and felt inspired to replace her roof.
“The first conversation we had was at least an hour long, and I told my wife that we’re going to figure out a way to help this lady,” says Rissler.
Rissler said the woman’s house was her grandmother’s, and she lived there with her husband while he was still living.
Rissler said her husband also served with the Altoona Police Department.
Rissler searched the community for donors and volunteers who would also feel inspired to give back.
The Altoona Area Business Community was one organization that volunteered to give back by funding some of the project.
“So many times we see that veterans are not really given what they’re due, and sometimes, like in this situation, their home fell into disrepair,” says LaVonne Falbo, president of the Altoona Area Business Community.
The group is also accepting PayPal donations through altoonaareabusinesscommunity@gmail.com to go towards the project.
Thanks to the partnership, the restoration project began Saturday.
Rissler says a small crew of people are helping Saturday, but he is still looking for more volunteers to help on January 23, starting at 8:30 a.m.
This disabled veteran is not the only disabled veteran to receive a refurbished roof. In October, a 76-year-old disabled Vietnam veteran received a roof on his 50th wedding anniversary.