Feeling The Love, Again!

Reiner & Lennox Team Up To Help A Veteran in need.

For a second year, Reiner Group has decided to participate in Lennox’s “Feel the Love” program. Feel The Love allows members of our community to nominate someone they know who needs or is deserving of new heating or cooling equipment. Lennox donates the equipment and Reiner installs it at no cost. This year, we had a very special recipient.

When we first met with Marines veteran Mike McNulty at his Oakland home, he had a larger than life presence. You would never know the health issues he has been up against since 1985 when he left the service. A married father of three young children, Mike puts many of us to shame with his ability to see past his own hardships and instead, focuses on helping others.

Mike received an honorable discharge from the Marines after being struck by friendly fire which severely affected his leg and caused 10% brain damage. He also almost lost complete use of his right leg do to additional trauma sustained in a car accident years later. Due to his injuries, Mike is unable to work in the traditional sense. However, he is heavily involved with the Marine Corps League Lakeland Detachment which helps other active and retired military members get the help they need from the VA and other services. He also started Warriors Way Combative which teaches hand-to-hand combat and self-defense for all ages. The fact that he keeps going by helping others was the catalyst for why Reiner Group chose Mike as our Feel The Love recipient.

Our 12 volunteers arrived at Mike’s home on Feel The Love Day, Saturday October 10^th 2020 ready and prepared to get to work. Mike received a new boiler, donated by Lennox and installed by Reiner Group, Inc. Volunteers were given different jobs and worked throughout the home. Most of the work was focused on getting the boiler and radiators installed, but volunteers were also working on projects outside of the installation including patching the roof and installing a new chimney liner.

Mike shared with me and our Vice President, Tony Gasparovich, that he told his young daughter they were getting a new boiler to which she responded, “You mean I don’t have to wear my Winter coat to bed anymore?” Mike’s wife and in-laws were also overjoyed at the new boiler that would let them sleep easier at night.

I watched a video recently on Instagram that focused on a man who climbed the world’s tallest mountains. This, according to the producers of the video, gave his life meaning. I thought to myself, you don’t have to climb mountains to give your life meaning. Sometimes just donating your time to make a difference in the lives of others is all it takes.