The Muskogee Phoenix newspaper recently shared the story of how a veteran-owned roofing company was able to come to the aid of Melvin Baker, a disabled veteran living in Wagoner, Oklahoma.
Blake Henson, an employee of Exterior Solutions by Craig’s Roofing and a U.S. Navy veteran, was called out to Baker’s house after a bout of recent bad weather in the area. Baker served in World War II and is 100-percent disabled having lost his vision in addition to being confined to a wheelchair.
Baker is assisted by caregiver Dee O’Farrell who noticed that the roof appeared as though it might have sustained damage and called to have it looked at by Henson. Henson quickly determined that repairs wouldn’t do the trick and that the whole roof needed to be replaced at a cost of about $8,000. He decided to speak to Craig Wilson, the company owner and a fellow Navy veteran, about how they could help and Wilson agreed to put the roof on for free.
Others in the industry got on board with Southern Shingles of Tulsa agreeing to donate the roofing materials. Crews showed up early on a Saturday morning to tear off the old roof, replace decking boards and install the new roof.
Baker told Muskogee Phoenix reporter Mark Hughes that when he found at he was getting a new roof at no cost that he “could have shouted all over the house” and that he was “so proud that someone was looking out for him.”
Wilson was happy to be able to help out a fellow veteran in need and has decided to make this an annual project for his company.
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