SPOKANE, Wash. – A local business that wanted to give back to the community reached out to KREM 2 for help finding someone in the community they could help. Thursday, they found them.
Paul and Suzanne Witter have seen a lot in their 60 years of marriage – including children, grandchildren, and for Paul – a tour of duty in Korea.
“I went to the 38th parallel, to Korea, and I was there quite a while,” Witter said.
The last several years have not been easy for the Witter family. Paul has battled several bouts of cancer and a near fatal infection. It is the memories of a brutally cold stretch this winter though, that brings his wife Suzanne to tears.
“Well, we didn’t have no heat for three weeks outside of heaters,” Witter said. “SNAP helped put that in. They’ve been real good to us for everything.”
Craig Howard works for the Spokane Neighborhood Action Program – or SNAP.
“Yeah, Paul and Sue, great example of the kind of people we help at SNAP,” he said.
The non-profit helps thousands of people each year find stability with things like energy assistance and home repairs. Last winter, the organization heard about the Witter’s situation and installed a furnace in their home --- Thursday, more help arrived.
That help came from Shawn Adam and Sturm Heating and Air Conditioning.
Adam, the company’s president, reached out to KREM 2 because he wanted to give back to the community. We put him in contact with SNAP and they immediately thought of Paul and Suzanne.
“To be able to give back to the people that support you, I think it’s a phenomenal thing,” Adam said.
With the hot weather ahead, the Witter’s could really use air conditioning. So, Sturm showed up Thursday with a brand-new air conditioning unit and their crew spent the morning installing it.
By noon, the cold air was flowing into Paul and Suzanne’s home.
This August marks the couple’s 61st wedding anniversary, and they are looking forward to celebrating the milestone in a little more comfort.
“I’m going to enjoy it,” Suzanne said.
“Oh yeah,” Paul added.