Plymouth Company Repairs Local Vet’s Home
When you own a home, expensive repairs are a necessary component of the home ownership experience. Just ask Steven Ripp of Minneapolis, a veteran of the United States Navy.
“The roof was probably 30 years old,” Ripp said. “So, I thought, ‘oh I need something new.'”
But replacing an entire roof can cost thousands of dollars.
“On my limited income, cause I’m retired, there’s just not something I could really afford,” Ripp said.
On the advice of a neighbor, Ripp reached out to Habitat for Humanity and found out about the Owens Corning Roof Deployment Project.
“Every year we give away a new roof to a needy veteran, and Steven Ripp just happens to be our recipient of this year,” said Leif Anderson of Legacy Restoration, the Plymouth-based contractor donating roofing materials and labor for this project.
“He had hail damage and a lot of rot, and some other things,” said Jeremi Niemi, project manager. “Just a lot of rot damage that we’re replacing.”
Niemi says this particular job involves replacing shingles and adding ventilation.
“He’s got a lot of leaking because the previous install wasn’t correct on some of the flashing areas,” he said. “I mean, wood that we’re taking off that was underneath two layers of shingles is soaking wet.”
‘Incredibly Lucky and Fortunate’
All told, replacing Ripp’s roof would’ve cost him around $20,000.
“I didn’t realize, maybe at the time, how incredibly lucky and fortunate I am that these people are here to help me out with this,” Ripp said.
Not everyone answers the call to serve in the military, but as Veterans Day approaches, this project is one way to show gratitude toward those who have answered that call to service.
“It’s quite a donation,” said Anderson. “And it’s great to be able to give back to the community and provide for somebody who’s really in need.”
Ripp will also receive assistance from Habitat for Humanity’s “A Brush with Kindness” program, which provides painting, landscaping and repairs to qualifying veterans.
