Vietnam Veteran Gifted a New Roof From Their Community

By Evelyn Witterholt.  

Cheboygan local contractors and veterans’ organizations team up to replace the roof for a Vietnam veteran. 

Michigan veteran who goes by the nickname “Lee” had been in desperate need of a new roof. Lee, who served several tours in Vietnam, has been battling cancer and couldn’t get much assistance from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Thanks to the help of several local organizations and contractors, Lee has a brand-new roof over his head, free-of-charge. 

When Lee’s roof was leaking and rotting, his daughter made a call to Richard “Duke” Mayo of Forgotten Eagles and the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 274. The Forgotten Eagles is an organization known for assisting Michigan veterans in any way they can. Lee’s daughter asked for their help and they answered swiftly by going over to Lee’s house and taking action. 

"I went over to see her and figure out what we could do," Mayo told the Cheboygan Daily Tribune. "I got a hold of the Leathernecks Motorcycle Club, which are Marines, and they came and looked at everything. They were able to replace the toilet and fix the floor where the toilet was falling in." The motorcycle club even went so far as to pay off some of Lee’s past-due bills. 

Mayo then made some calls to see what they could do about Lee’s roof. After receiving an estimate of the cost of repairs, he contacted the owner of a Cheboygan roofing company. He said that the owner of the company took over the project by getting all materials donated by their suppliers. They made great efforts to get donations for Lee’s new roof, with some donations coming from as far as Grand Rapids.  

It was Mayo’s top priority to get the roof replaced by winter so the veteran could be protected from the inevitable winter storms. He received so much help from donors and contractors that the roof was fully replaced in July. The owner of the roofing company stated that they chose to remain anonymous because they donated the roof to help the veteran, not for recognition. 

Lee is incredibly thankful for his new roof. “He was talking to us today (Friday) and tears started coming to his eye. So, I felt good about that," said Mayo. 

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About Evelyn

Evelyn works as a writer for RoofersCoffeeShop and AskARoofer. When she isn’t writing about roofing, she’s either at the gym lifting weights or curled up on the couch watching a movie.

Photo Credit: Cheboygan Daily Tribune