-
PHOTO/OSCEOLA COUNCIL ON AGING Members of the Home Depot “Helping Homebound Heroes” program salute the U.S. flag and retired Army field lineman/E-4 James Mead of Kissimmee. The crew made some improvements to his home Nov. 30.
Even a November hurricane couldn’t keep the Home Depot in St. Cloud and the Osceola Council on Aging from helping another local veteran.
As part of the ongoing “Helping Homebound Heroes” program, OCOA and over a dozen Home Depot volunteers assisted Kissimmee U.S. Army veteran James Mead, with home repairs and cleanup.
The event was scheduled for Veteran’s Day — which coincided with the arrival of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Nicole three weeks ago. It was rescheduled for Nov. 30.
A 32-foot wheelchair ramp was built right after the storm to enable Mead, 75, to better move around and leave home freely. Last week, the team finished the job, with home repairs, installed a new door, A/C unit and skirting, made minor floor repairs, pressure washed the exterior of the home and painted in spots.
All of these repairs will provide a safer living environment for Mead, who served in the U.S. Army for over two years as a field lineman/wireman during the Vietnam War and was an Army E-4, and his family.
The project includes installing smoke detectors and landscape with new plants and mulch. The final touch — a theme for OCOA and Home Depot projects like these — is a lighted U.S. Flag to celebrate Officer Mead’s service to our nation.
“It’s important to us to honor and celebrate our Veterans who served this great Nation,” said OCOA President Wendy Ford. “One of our missions is to support all Veterans by providing them a safe environment within their home, and this is something that we all should respect and serve our local Veterans. We would not be able to do this without our partnership with The Home Depot Foundation and their commitment to helping our seniors keep their independence to remain in their homes.”
Those who want to volunteer to help with future projects should contact Helping Homebound Heroes Coordinator Larry Belisle, at the Council on Aging at 407-449-3441 or belislel@osceola-coa.com.
“We love our partnership with the Osceola Council on Aging, and this is one of the best things we have done in this community in supporting our Veterans and presenting our Helping Homebound Heroes program,” said Ron Potvin, Store Manager at the St. Cloud Home Depot. “Our partnership means the world to me, my staff, and The Home Depot Foundation by honoring these Veterans for their service and their commitment to keeping our freedoms and our Country safe.”
This project is part of The Home Depot Foundation’s annual Operation Surprise initiative. Through Dec. 10, Team Depot will complete many similar service projects nationwide in honor of Veterans Day.
The Osceola Council on Aging provide information for this report.
