Lenihan Family Receives Record Number of Nominations for Free Roof

By Cass Jacoby, RCS Reporter.  

When the Lenihan’s home needed far more repairs than they could afford Guardian Roofing acted as a guardian angel through their Halo Project providing a new roof. 

Sarah and Luke Lenihan bought their Enumclaw, Washington home on Griffin Avenue late last year. After years of saving, they finally could buy their first home for their growing family. They knew that the 1914 structure was a fixer-upper, the attic was unfinished, and the home would need to be modernized. Still, they had no idea the extent of the repairs needed. 

“So the day after we got our keys…we started pulling insulation because some of it looked funky," Sarah told the Courier-Herald. "Well, there was a reason. The roof was rotted— there was no ventilation, so the roof rotted from the inside out. And the inspector completely missed it."  

Everything needed to be rebuilt; the rot had spread past the roof to the trusses. Having just spent all of their savings on the home, the Lenihan's couldn't afford the costs of these necessary repairs. The Lenihan's unsuccessfully submitted a claim against the inspector to discover they would pay more in legal fees than what they would win in the lawsuit.   

Sarah and Luke attempted to crowdfund their new roof with no other options, but their GoFundMe raised less than a quarter of the $65,000 needed.   

It didn't look like the Lenihans would get their dream home after all. Then a friend introduced the family to Guardian Roofing's Halo Project. The Halo project began in 2018, intending to give back to the community. The project grants a needed new roof based on nominations a particular project receives.   

"When we started Guardian in 2005, we had one van and a crew of four. Keeping our guys working was tough, but it was the local community who trusted us enough to give us their business. [I'll] never forget how our community supported us back then —that's why I'm so happy we are in a position now almost 20 years later to give something back to them," says Guardian's founder and president Lori Swanson. "Every recipient of the Halo Project has truly needed our help, and I feel blessed to be able to provide them some relief from the burden of a roof problem!"  

The Lenihan's were finally in luck; a monumental amount of community support won them a new roof.   

"We woke up the next day, and it still kind of [felt] like a dream," Sarah laughed. "We're super, super thankful."  

"The number of submissions for the Lenihan's reached a new Guardian record — 105 submitted nominations! Almost every nomination had a kind word to say about Sarah, Luke and their children. After reviewing each and every submission, the Leadership Team at Guardian knew they had to help," Lori continued.  

The Auburn-based Guardian Roofing and Pest Control company will provide thousands of dollars of repair work for free. Work is expected to begin in the summer. The family's GoFundMe page is still open to help raise money for repairs, plumbing issues and electrical work  

"You kind of hear about companies doing things like this every once in a while, but to be a part of it now…I've never really had a company care, for sure, as much," says Luke. "It's a blessing." 

Do you know of someone in the industry who is ‘doing good deeds’ in their community? Help us catch them at it. Send news and information to info@rooferscoffeeshop.com.