Home Depot Legends: Gary and Becky – Corvallis, Oregon

Front End Supervisor Gary from Store 4029 in Corvallis, Ore., rose to a challenge issued by Store Manager James Martin. The challenge was to get out into the community and make a difference as the store’s Team Depot Captain.

Gary immediately started to brainstorm some ideas with Pro Account Sales Associate Becky. It didn’t take long for the duo to decide to focus on helping out seniors in the community whose homes needed a little care and attention. They partnered with a local senior center and the local Meals On Wheels organization and compiled a list of tasks for Senior Day. Gary, Becky and a group of Team Depot volunteers spent Senior Day going from house to house applying window film, changing out light bulbs, installing smoke alarms, weather stripping doors and doing minor repairs.

Then Becky and Gary decided to take the project one step further by adopting a senior. They chose an elderly man in poor health and committed to visit him at least once a month and cover routine maintenance on his home and yard. On the next visit they replaced a ceiling fan, toilet and cut his grass.

“The grass in his yard was chest-high when we started,” Becky said. “We spent about nine hours over two days mowing, mulching and planting happy sunflowers for him to enjoy from his window.” And the project hasn’t stopped there. Associates at the store are continuing to help other seniors by weeding yards during the week.  “The senior we adopted is overwhelmed,” Gary said. “He goes around telling everyone and says he wishes he could adopt us.”