Richmond -
Construction crews are coming to the rescue.
We found the guys from Lisa & Co. Construction doing some of the preliminary work this morning.
They're trying to fix the damage, so the couple can stop living in the smoky, charred remains of their precious home.
A worker throws down a crispy piece of burned shingle. It makes a loud "BOOM!" when it hits the bottom of the dumpster the construction crew has brought with them. It's a sound Patricia Gaines has been praying for. "Well my heart just lightens up, to actually see them doing the work. They've been here all week talking to us about what they were going to do, but just actually seeing them here. Oh, I'm just thrilled. My husband is thrilled."
Lisa & Company Construction saw our reports on the conditions Pat and her husband Jake were living in after their 100-year old home caught fire. With no homeowner's insurance and in poor health, they had nowhere to go. Foreman Wil Inge couldn't wait to meet Pat and help her out. "Oh she's a neat lady, neat lady", says Wil. "Her husband's a vet and it's a pleasure, really. We feel honored to do the work for them."
This crew is just one of many businesses and organizations who've offered to help after seeing our reports. "They've been calling us every day, coming by", says Patricia. "They've just been wonderful!" Wonderful to see them start, but there's still a lot of work to be done.
Pat's husband Jake is a disabled Korean War vet. After seeing our reports, the commander of the VFW Post on Dickens Place in Henrico invited them to dinner Friday night.
We''ve found out some major home-improvement companies are jumping on board to give Pat and Jake a hand. And there are more local organizations like churches, women's groups, and youth groups pitching in to help. Be sure to watch CBS 6 News next week starting at 5:00 for updates...and be sure to check back to wtvr.com as well.
Report: 11/05/2009
More good news for a couple living in the remains of their burned out home.
We caught up with Patricia Gaines and her husband Jake at the Days Inn on Dickens road in Henrico. The manager there, Randy Browady, says he saw our story about the retired couple living in their burned out home in south Richmond and knew he had to do something to help. He's putting them up in a room for free for two weeks. "it's a good feeling to be able to help people. i try to help as much as i can. this is my good deed for the week (laughing)."
You've got to understand the conditions the couple was living in. A fire at their home destroyed their furniture and clothes. There's smoke damage everywhere. But with no money and no home-owner's insurance...they had nowhere to go. What makes this story so wonderful for me is how humble this couple is when they talk about the help they're getting. "It makes me even more determined to crawl out of this," says Jake. "And if I can help someone...to be there for them. You never believe people would react this way when you're in trouble."
The reaction from your central Virginia neighbors has been simply wonderful. So many people are wanting to help this couple and the red cross is taking the lead in this.
Tomorrow a construction crew is volunteering to come out to the home on West 29th Street and do some initial cleaning. The owner says he's going to do major repairs for free. He also says he's contacted agents with Home Depot and Lowe's, and both home-improvement stores are offering construction supplies at no cost.
We'll be at the home tomorrow (Friday) to follow their progress.
****Story from 11/4/2009 below****
CBS 6 phones are ringing off the hook from people wanting to help couple with nowhere to go.
The struggle of a retired south Richmond couple shows just how generous CBS 6 viewers are. After we aired the story of Patricia Gaines and her husband Jake, showing them living in a house damaged by fire back in September, the e-mails and phone calls started pouring in.
We couldn't wait to tell Patricia and Jake the good news about so many people wanting to help, but when we got to their house, Diana Winchell of the Red Cross was already there. "We've had such an outpouring of people wanting to help," Diana was telling Patricia on the front porch, "and we've had a construction company that's called in that wants to help with permits and building. Some people are just calling and saying, 'How can we help?'" Diana had a list of about 30 organizations and businesses offering to provide construction, clean-up, painting, food... you name it. They saw our story yesterday on CBS 6 News at 6:00 or read about it on our website. They learned about the filthy and unhealthy conditions Pat and Jake are living in after a fire at their 100-year old home on 29th street in south Richmond. With no homeowner's insurance, poor health and nowhere to go... they're forced to live in the smoky, sooty damage. Hopefully, they won't be living that way much longer.
Bill Harrison, Vice President of the Richmond Chapter of the Red Cross says, "The Red Cross received around 30 phone calls, and that doesn't include the messages coming through CBS 6's website to us. The phone was still ringing when we left to meet with the family this afternoon."
Patricia's eyes lit up when she heard the news. "I'm overwhelmed with joy. I just can't believe so many people have called and I have this list here."
They're trying to fix the damage, so the couple can stop living in the smoky, charred remains of their precious home.
A worker throws down a crispy piece of burned shingle. It makes a loud "BOOM!" when it hits the bottom of the dumpster the construction crew has brought with them. It's a sound Patricia Gaines has been praying for. "Well my heart just lightens up, to actually see them doing the work. They've been here all week talking to us about what they were going to do, but just actually seeing them here. Oh, I'm just thrilled. My husband is thrilled."
Lisa & Company Construction saw our reports on the conditions Pat and her husband Jake were living in after their 100-year old home caught fire. With no homeowner's insurance and in poor health, they had nowhere to go. Foreman Wil Inge couldn't wait to meet Pat and help her out. "Oh she's a neat lady, neat lady", says Wil. "Her husband's a vet and it's a pleasure, really. We feel honored to do the work for them."
This crew is just one of many businesses and organizations who've offered to help after seeing our reports. "They've been calling us every day, coming by", says Patricia. "They've just been wonderful!" Wonderful to see them start, but there's still a lot of work to be done.
Pat's husband Jake is a disabled Korean War vet. After seeing our reports, the commander of the VFW Post on Dickens Place in Henrico invited them to dinner Friday night.
We''ve found out some major home-improvement companies are jumping on board to give Pat and Jake a hand. And there are more local organizations like churches, women's groups, and youth groups pitching in to help. Be sure to watch CBS 6 News next week starting at 5:00 for updates...and be sure to check back to wtvr.com as well.
Report: 11/05/2009
More good news for a couple living in the remains of their burned out home.
We caught up with Patricia Gaines and her husband Jake at the Days Inn on Dickens road in Henrico. The manager there, Randy Browady, says he saw our story about the retired couple living in their burned out home in south Richmond and knew he had to do something to help. He's putting them up in a room for free for two weeks. "it's a good feeling to be able to help people. i try to help as much as i can. this is my good deed for the week (laughing)."
You've got to understand the conditions the couple was living in. A fire at their home destroyed their furniture and clothes. There's smoke damage everywhere. But with no money and no home-owner's insurance...they had nowhere to go. What makes this story so wonderful for me is how humble this couple is when they talk about the help they're getting. "It makes me even more determined to crawl out of this," says Jake. "And if I can help someone...to be there for them. You never believe people would react this way when you're in trouble."
The reaction from your central Virginia neighbors has been simply wonderful. So many people are wanting to help this couple and the red cross is taking the lead in this.
Tomorrow a construction crew is volunteering to come out to the home on West 29th Street and do some initial cleaning. The owner says he's going to do major repairs for free. He also says he's contacted agents with Home Depot and Lowe's, and both home-improvement stores are offering construction supplies at no cost.
We'll be at the home tomorrow (Friday) to follow their progress.
****Story from 11/4/2009 below****
CBS 6 phones are ringing off the hook from people wanting to help couple with nowhere to go.
The struggle of a retired south Richmond couple shows just how generous CBS 6 viewers are. After we aired the story of Patricia Gaines and her husband Jake, showing them living in a house damaged by fire back in September, the e-mails and phone calls started pouring in.
We couldn't wait to tell Patricia and Jake the good news about so many people wanting to help, but when we got to their house, Diana Winchell of the Red Cross was already there. "We've had such an outpouring of people wanting to help," Diana was telling Patricia on the front porch, "and we've had a construction company that's called in that wants to help with permits and building. Some people are just calling and saying, 'How can we help?'" Diana had a list of about 30 organizations and businesses offering to provide construction, clean-up, painting, food... you name it. They saw our story yesterday on CBS 6 News at 6:00 or read about it on our website. They learned about the filthy and unhealthy conditions Pat and Jake are living in after a fire at their 100-year old home on 29th street in south Richmond. With no homeowner's insurance, poor health and nowhere to go... they're forced to live in the smoky, sooty damage. Hopefully, they won't be living that way much longer.
Bill Harrison, Vice President of the Richmond Chapter of the Red Cross says, "The Red Cross received around 30 phone calls, and that doesn't include the messages coming through CBS 6's website to us. The phone was still ringing when we left to meet with the family this afternoon."
Patricia's eyes lit up when she heard the news. "I'm overwhelmed with joy. I just can't believe so many people have called and I have this list here."
