It was a rough New Year鈥檚 Day for Melayna Neufeld, who spent much of the day rushing her son Bentson, who has severe asthma, to urgent care and then the hospital.
In the middle of it all she received unexpected news 鈥� her family had been chosen to receive a new furnace and hot water tank, fully installed, as a gift for their home.
鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 even process it,鈥� Neufeld said. 鈥淚 started crying. I was just mind-blown.鈥�
The generous gift came from Air Tech Mechanical in Vernon. Recipients were selected from responses to a social media post the company made on its Facebook page in December. This is the second year the family-run business, which also has offices in 91大黄鸭, has sought to help out local families.
鈥淲e had a flood of people telling their stories, and what they鈥檝e experienced,鈥� explained Amanda Gale, install coordinator/dispatcher for Air Tech. 鈥淲e read them and found the most deserving person 鈥� turned out to be Melayna.鈥�
Neufeld said the new heating system is a blessing. 鈥淚t means everything. I am a below-the-knee amputee, I was injured at work when I was a teenager.鈥�
Cold weather often causes several issues for the amputated area of Neufeld鈥檚 leg. 鈥淥ne of the reasons I was worried about our furnace 鈥� if it goes 鈥� I don鈥檛 know what I would do.鈥�
Among paying the bills, she and her husband Erik also work to ensure that their home is as safe and comfortable as possible for Bentson, and dogs Honey and Bruno.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had a lot of unexpected things come up, including a needed update to my wheelchair ramp, and it was pick and choose between what do we fix,鈥� Neufeld said. 鈥淚t (ramp) was a safety issue that had to be done.鈥�
The Neufeld鈥檚 furnace is more than 30-years old. The cost to replace it, along with the new hot water tank, is about $8,000.
For Air Tech owners Steve and Kirsty Rodderick, it鈥檚 all about giving back to the community.
鈥淢y wife and I grew up in a part of Wales which was the second poorest area of the entire United Kingdom,鈥� Steve explained. 鈥淓veryone is used to sticking out for each other. It means the world that we are able to help someone.鈥�
The Roddericks moved to the Okanagan in 2017 and started their business soon after arriving. 鈥淚 want people to understand there are many family run businesses in the Okanagan,鈥� Steve said. 鈥淚f you work with them, they will work with you.鈥�
In addition to the Neufelds, Air Tech is providing a free heating package to a Vernon resident. 鈥淲e had lots of candidates,鈥� Steve noted. 鈥淢elayna鈥檚 story was unique. Everyone was deserving.鈥�
Neufeld said it's difficult to express her gratitude in just words. 鈥淓very time I talk about it, I can鈥檛 believe it. It鈥檚 such a huge gift. I鈥檓 overwhelmed and I can't thank them enough.鈥�