The Home Depot Foundation Improves a Korean Veteran's Home
See the amazing work of Team Depot's volunteers as they make improvements to Korean War veteran Emmitt's home. Now he can age in place safely and comfortably. Thank you to the The Home Depot Foundation for their incredible support. (Video directed by Doug Gritzmacher.)
Video Transcript
Speaker 1: Okay. I'm going to get going. All right guys, so if anyone doesn't know, this is Emmett. This is Emmett's nice home. We're here to do a little work with Emmet here today. Emmet's a veteran. He's served us. He made our country partly what it is today right, Emmett? Korean War-
Emmit: Yes.
Speaker 1: -and he actually got a medal from the president of South Korea before he left over there. So, want to give you a thanks Emmett and this is Angie. She is Emmett's daughter.
Angie: I really appreciate you all being here and taking the time to do that because I can't do any of this by myself. I appreciate that. Thank you for taking the special time out and taking care of this home for him today.
Speaker 1: We're glad to be here.
Bradley Gulley: Just on behalf of Volunteers of America, we've had a national partnership with Home Depot for many years. Through you guys we've been able to keep many veterans in their homes. We've done huge projects, we've done projects like this where we really get to work one on one with a veteran. They always turn out amazing because of the work you guys put in.
Volunteers of America is a national partner with Home Depot Foundation. We're always kind of on the lookout for good projects to partner with them on. This one just kind of fell in our laps. Emmett did used to work for VOA and is still a volunteer with us. We're really excited and we're really just excited for the future and working with you guys. Thank you for being here.
Speaker 4: We're going to do the Home Depot cheer. Dora's going to lead it. Okay, Dora.
Dora: Give me an H.
Workers: H.
Dora: Give me an O.
Workers: O.
Dora: Give me a M.
Workers: M.
Dora: Give me an E.
Workers: E.
Dora: Give me a D.
Workers: D.
Dora: Give me an E.
Workers: E.
Dora: Give me a P.
Workers: P.
Dora: Give me an O.
Workers: O.
Dora: Give me a T.
Workers: T.
Dora: What's that spell?
Workers: Home Depot.
Dora: What's that spell?
Workers: Home Depot.
Dora: What are we going to do?
Dora: All right.
Bradley Gulley: At this Home Depot project, we're doing a bunch of safety modifications and kind of cosmetic work for Emmett who's a Korean War veteran.
Jason Culpepper: With this particular project we're focused around a new pathway from his driveway to, so that he doesn't have to walk across snow and ice in the winter time.
Lon Keatley: We are putting new lights fixtures on.
Jason Culpepper: We're doing some security lighting. Some security doors.
Lon Keatley: New patio set. New barbecue grill.
Jason Culpepper: We're doing hand rails so that he has some stability as he goes up and down the stairs.
Bradley Gulley: The cosmetic work is mostly paint and getting some new carpet on the inside.
Angie: My dad, he's older and he's still wants to stay in this home.
Sarah Sadler: People as they age they're not able to stay in their homes but because of these improvements he will be able to stay in his home and enjoy it more.
Emmit: Yeah, okay. Well, it's going to be quiet when we get around this part.
Bradley Gulley: I love all of our Home Depot projects, but this one especially because Emmet's involved and he's family.
Angie: Ain't that cool, with water? You have to see it from the front. It's really cute.
Emmit: Oh, cool.
Angie: Yeah, it's really cute.
Bradley Gulley: He has been a minister with us and just done a ton of work throughout the years and still today goes down to our mission and helps preach, serve food, anything that's needed.
Angie: My dad loves people.
Photographer: Nice.
Speaker 13: That's the look all right. I told you, that helmet makes all the difference.
Angie: I can remember him when I was a child, seeing him doing things like this for neighbors.
Angie: A couple houses down we had elderly neighbors and he mowed their lawn and shoveled their snow and so I feel like he's getting a big payback.
Jason Culpepper: Volunteers of America has been a great national partner for us. Just everything that Volunteers of America does in the community fits very well with Home Depot and that we're really versatile and can find a variety of things to make an impact on.
In the veteran community, it was specifically focused around reducing veterans homelessness and also aging in place. There's a lot of our veterans who have served our country who deserve that opportunity to age in their homes. It's really important that citizens, that companies, that communities do more than just say thank you. We've got to have actions more than just words.
Emmit: One of the guys that's on the crew was saying, "Love your neighbor as yourself." You know, we're always allude to that scripture but it's awesome when you become the neighbor that's receiving this part of the love. It's a little overwhelming.
Lon Keatley: All right, Emmit. Come on over.
Emmit: All right.
Lon Keatley: We'll show you at least the patio part.
Emmit: Okay.
Lon Keatley: We're still working on the railings. We've got some new planters and a new storage bin for you. Okay? For your rakes and some of those things you had up here.
Emmit: Yeah.
Lon Keatley: We just got you a little table because we knew it was kind of tight.
Emmit: Oh, that's nice.
Lon Keatley: But these chairs are really nice and it gives a little bit of rocking. Do you feel that bounce and that rock?
Emmit: Yes.
Lon Keatley: Those are kind of nice chairs.
Emmit: That's neat.
Lon Keatley: And then over here, brand new grill. We already put the cover on it.
Emmit: Oh, my goodness.
Lon Keatley: We got a brand new grill right here for you with the cover on it.
Emmit: You want me to open it up?
Lon Keatley: With propane. You want to see it?
Emmit: Yeah.
Lon Keatley: All right, let's see it.
Emmit: The grill is one of the most exciting things that I have received today. All right!
Lon Keatley: Side burner, okay. Side burner right here. You can be doing some pans here, okay?
Emmit: Oh, I could put on that right?
Lon Keatley: There you go.
Emmit: I'll be testing that bad boy out. I'll tell you the truth. This is great.