HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) — 10 On Your Side is following up on a program that’s promised to help veterans in need.
Dominion Energy launched 100 Homes for 100 Vets last Veterans Day. Their goal is to complete 100 energy-efficient upgrades on 100 homes by Veterans Day this year.
In May, 10 On Your Side teamed up with Dominion to help get the word out. We set up a phone bank in May and 171 veterans called in.
Now, about a dozen who qualified, including Ron and Cheryl McMillan, are reaping the reward.
Ron is a veteran who was shot in the Vietnam War. “The Vietcong main purpose was to take out the enemy and I was the enemy cause I was a machine gunner,” He told WAVY.com
Their home is full of love and warmth, but on a 90-degree day, they’d like to keep it cool. Regulating the temperature has been tough.
“All the heat goes to the front of the house,” Ron said.
Cheryl nearly passed out when she opened one power bill for $585.
Luckily, they were watching WAVY news 10 at 4 p.m. in May. “I think I called about 15 or 20 times before I finally got an answer,” Ron said.
His persistence paid off.
A team from Dominion Energy and the STOP organization did an energy audit on the home last week. They then brought their tools and supplies and got to work.
The team squeezed into the tight attic space to build a blockade around the insulation. They installed weather strips around exterior doors and sealed gaps around the heating and cooling vents.
They also exchanged old light bulbs for energy-efficient LED bulbs and more.
Bonita Billingsley-Harris, a spokesperson for Dominion Energy, said, “We just feel as if they’ve scarified so much for our country already we really wanted to do whatever we could to help them.”
Dominion and its partners have completed 50 projects so far in Virginia, including 14 in the Hampton Roads area.
It’s free for the Veterans — and Dominion promises it will save them money for years to come.
Ron promises to let us know when that first bill arrives. “I’m grateful for them,” he said.
This project won’t end on Veterans day.
Vets can still go to the Energy Share page on Dominion’s website to see if they qualify for assistance. Dominion also offers tips to help lower anyone’s bills.
