Community Rebuilds Air Force Veteran's Home Destroyed in Fire

By Cass Jacoby, RCS Reporter.  

Owen's Corning provides a free roof to 82-year-old couple without homeowner's insurance.  

Jerry Wooten, and his wife, Tina, both deserved a new roof. Earlier this year, a fire broke out in the neighbors shed, spreading to the side of their 984-square-foot home through their white PVC fence.  

"My mother texted me that day and told me she smelled smoke and thought someone was having a cookout at a nearby park," their son, Joel, told Osprey Observer.  

The 82-year-old couple escaped the fire, and Jerry managed to save hundreds of Bibles in Spanish he intended to send to Honduras. However, he did not have the time to save any of his personal effects. The fire destroyed his home and everything in it.  

What's worse, the Wooten's had just paid off their home mortgage. They decided to cancel their homeowner's insurance due to the surge of their premium.  

Luckily, news of this caught wind to Owens Corning. They have The Owens Corning's Roof Deployment Project to honor and aid veterans through installing new roofs. Owens Corning teamed up with one of their Platinum Preferred Contractors, Tampa-based Southeastern Roofing and Construction, to provide the reroof.   

"They contacted us about helping this family, and we didn't think twice," said Southeastern Roofing Owner Ed Kappaz. "Giving back is a part of our company's culture."  

The Wooten's not only received a new roof and trusses but also had their electrical wiring replaced and their interior gutted and drywalled. Once the work is finished, the home will be furnished and decorated free of charge.   

"It's been a labor of love," said Habitat for Humanity's Nitza Rivera, who helped with the project. "The Wootens' home needed so much work, and it wasn't one person volunteering, but so many people helping."  

The home will be completed in the next few months, allowing the Wooten's to move back into their home. "My dad is such a benevolent man and has given so much. It's wonderful to see the community coming together to help him," Joel said. "I appreciate everyone who has helped."  

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.