Replacing roofs and touching hearts

By Jenny Yu.  

One Idaho veteran received an unexpected gift this holiday season. 

Since its founding in 2014, Roof Rescue in Idaho Falls, Idaho, has prioritized giving back to the local communities it serves through Operation Roof Rescue. For every 100 roof replacements they complete in each of their five regions, Roof Rescue replaces one roof for free. The company chooses one lucky winner nominated by their community for their service as a military service member (active duty or veteran), first responder (police, firefighters, EMTs), teacher (K-12, higher education, special education) or community hero making a difference through service or leadership.  

The most recent recipient of the free roof replacement was Bernard Stinson, a Marine veteran and active community member in Pocatello, Idaho. On top of his military service, Bernard continued to give to his local community by serving as an assistant pastor at his church and assisting family members with limited incomes, despite his own health and financial struggles.  

Kristi Hansen, Roof Rescue’s chief operating officer, expressed joy in providing this needed service for such a deserving person. “It really touched our hearts,” Kristi told EastIdahoNews.com. “He is a marine. He’s a senior. He donates his time as the assistant pastor … he’s just an all-around amazing guy.” 

The work to replace the roof was extensive, involving removing all the shingles and wood, replacing the plywood, installing the new roof system and redoing the gutters — a project that would have amounted to $30,000-$35,000 in cost. 

“I couldn’t see how that was going to happen,” Bernard said. “I didn’t see a way out. God touched their hearts to help us and take a load off of us; that is amazing.” 

Bernard and his wife, Cindy, were overjoyed to receive this gift just in time for the holiday season, and Roof Rescue’s CEO, Mark Franklin, expressed a similar joy in the spirit of giving, stating, “We are proud to provide Bernard and Cindy with a safe, new roof, and grateful for the opportunity to give back to these selfless members of our community.”