Rockford military veteran wins home makeover contest

ROCKFORD, Sick. (WTVO) — Veteran Gene Schaefer got a large surprise on Friday just after a nearby contractor selected him to get a full makeover of the exterior of his household.

Randy Palmeri & Son’s Contracting suggests they experienced more than sixty entries into the yearly veteran’s home makeover contest.

Shaefer and his spouse, Sue, get rid of tears of pleasure and shock when they discovered out they were the winners.

“This is the dwelling that we acquired in ’73 and we have been here given that. All a few [of our] young ones ended up raised [here],” Schaefer reported.

Relatives, mates, and neighbors confirmed up for the shock reveal.

“I see so many neighbors that we have not noticed for years, and they confirmed up right here,” Schaefer stated.

Schaeffer gained some cash a couple many years back and, rather of keeping it, he handed out $50 envelopes at Walmart for the duration of the Christmas season.

His oldest daughter, Kristien Frank, explained he deserved a shock of his own.

“I noticed the ad [for the contest] on Tv and I believed, ‘oh, we want to flip mother and father in for that.’ Then, my brother called [and said] ‘hey, there’s this advert for Palmeri and Sons, and I was, like, ‘oh, I saw that!’ He goes, ‘let’s do it!’ and I’m, like, ‘ok!’” she stated.

The Schaefers say they experience like there are some others who are additional deserving than they.

“I would like Randy would choose it to some other veteran’s home,” Schafer claimed.

The Palmeri’s say the nomination letters they gained demonstrate in any other case.

“It was genuinely form of distinctive simply because two out of the three letters – we truly did not realize they have been from the exact spouse and children right up until we definitely got to appear at them. Yeah, they were heartfelt but they ended up entirely created in various text,” explained Randy Palmeri.

“It’s overpowering,” Schaefer claimed. “I really don’t know what else to say to this. Thank you. Thank you to all people.”

The Schaefer’s property, on MacArthur Push, will get started renovations following month.

The Schaefers say they are psyched to paint the exterior in the Green Bay Packers hues.