As we near the end of 2023 and the holiday season, we share a heartwarming story of our Boise Disaster Response team fulfilling a Veteran’s final wish after he bravely battled Stage IV cancer.
George Satter was an Army Veteran diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2019. He and his wife, Ginger Kreiter, contacted Operation Grateful Hearts to see if they could help.
Satter’s final wish was to repair his family’s home in Horseshoe Bend, allowing them to live in safe and comfortable conditions. This wish became a reality when Operation Grateful Hearts began an initiative along with the Veterans Chamber of Commerce. This dedicated collaboration between volunteers, businesses, and organizations supports local veterans and their families.
Mindi Anderson, Executive Director and Founder, of the Idaho Veterans Chamber of Commerce contacted Disaster Response for assistance with this project. We immeditely decided this project was something we wanted to be involved in. Helping fulfill Satter’s wish lined up with our core value – To Serve Humbly. After making the quick decision to be a part of this project in Horseshoe Bend, we were put in contact with Wendy Jo Ackley, Founder of Operation Grateful Hearts. We worked closely with Wendy Jo through the entire process – from assessing the home and repairs needed, estimating, coordinating materials and supplies, and completing the work.
Our services were discounted by 75%, with our company providing $25,000 in labor and supplies to transform the Veteran’s family home. Our extensive efforts included installing a new vapor barrier to prevent ground moisture, clearing the area beneath the home, and providing vinyl flooring for the interior. We also conducted a thorough mold remediation, ensuring the family’s living space is now safe, healthy, and free of related health hazards. After our initial assessment and estimate, work commenced.
We sent our Boise team to Horseshoe Bend for three days to clear out beneath the home and install a brand-new vapor barrier. On the third day, our team helped remove all medical equipment from the home and proceeded to fog the home and complete our mold remediation process.
In addition to the services our team provided, the community came together from various organizations to replace front and back steps, provide landscaping and clean up to the exterior of the home, install new donated countertops, and more.
“I don’t think there’s enough words to express the gratitude and the thankfulness me and my family are feeling over all the people who have stepped in to help us,” said Kreiter. “I wish he could have seen it, I really do. But I think in my heart, he is seeing it.”
We thank the Veterans Chamber of Commerce, Operation Grateful Hearts, and other community organizations for the unity and generosity of all who contributed their time and resources. We are proud to have been part of this project and look forward to other projects like this in the future where we can be of service to our community.
See Video: Team DR and Operation Grateful Hearts
