A senior couple has easier access around their home after volunteers spent all day renovating it.
They did all kinds of stuff; from cleaning their yard and fixing their front door to replacing their deck. This is all hard labor that the homeowners are unable to do themselves.
Patricia Gallimore, the homeowner, says, "For me almost being 68, my husband's going to be 70 - with some of the different disabilities being able to manage."
Patricia and her husband Donald have both been retired for 13 years. And as they continue to age, she says it's become very difficult to safely move around the house and maintain it physically and financially.
"It's just that as you retire, money runs out," says Patricia.
So, Rebuilding Together Northern Nevada (RTNN) has partnered with the Home Depot Foundation, bringing out several volunteers to upgrade the Gallimore's cherished home of 34 years.
Greg Hamilton, operations manager of RTNN, "We have some inside concerns that came up, especially with plumbing. And the front door being insecure - was actually broken in half."
David Slater, team depot captain for the Home Depot, says, "We rebuilt the deck on the back of the home. It was not 100% safe, it was weak."
Volunteers also fixed other fire hazards such as removing debris in the yard and off the roof, checking smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and replacing the side gates.
Gallimore says, "This is giving us our house back. We'll be able to go out in our front yard and enjoy our front yard. Go in our backyard again and sit out at the deck."
Extra security measures and touch-ups are also being added, including a front entry screen door with a lock. Volunteers are also sanding, staining, and painting the front porch.
Slater, says, "We do as many projects as we can. A lot of it is veteran focused and seniors, and wherever there's a need we always try to jump in and help."
RTNN says they help rebuild 120 homes each year and they struggle to find more volunteers as the need for help grows.
Hamilton says, "Everybody needs help to some degree. The need here with our seniors and some of our more vulnerable populations is huge."
"I told them that I'm going to volunteer as much as I can do and give back my time to go back and give back to the community," says Gallimore.
To volunteer or learn more and sign up to be a recipient you can head to Rebuilding Together Northern Nevada's website.
