For the third straight year, Bennett Sheet Metal & Heating Ltd. has participated in the Lennox 鈥楩eel The Love鈥� campaign, and this year a Cumberland family was chosen as the recipient.
The Helgrens - Kathy, Steven, and their daughter, Marie - received a brand new gas furnace, as well as an air conditioning unit, free of charge. The furnace and a/c unit were installed Oct. 11-12.
The Feel The Love program was introduced by Lennox in 2009. In 2021, local Lennox dealer Bennett Sheet Metal & Heating got involved with the program as a way to celebrate the Courtenay company鈥檚 60th anniversary.
They鈥檝e continued with it ever since.
鈥淲e have had a lot of really loyal customers over the years鈥� and this just gives us a chance to give back to the community that has supported us and help some people who need a bit of a hand,鈥� said Shawna Logan, the Feel The Love campaign manager for Bennett Sheet Metal & Heating.
She added that this year was the most successful campaign to date for the company.
鈥淭here are no shortages of opportunities, but at the start, there were very few nominations to choose from,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his year we had several nominations, which was awesome. We were able to be a little more selective, to choose the best fit for us. So the word (about the program) is getting out.鈥�
Logan said the increase in nominations has made the decision harder, but it鈥檚 been a gratifying process.
鈥淚 was concerned that the amount of nominations this year would make the decision really hard, but for different reasons, it was easy to weed through them. Some nominees were renters - not homeowners - other homes did not have ductwork in place already, which is a requirement. So that made it easy, but I still had to do some thinking and deciding.
鈥淭he home we chose, we removed the original furnace from 1973, and it was an oil furnace. Their insurance company had told them that they would no longer be insured unless they replaced the oil tank.鈥�
鈥淎nd when you are replacing an oil tank on a furnace that is (50) years old, you鈥檙e just throwing money away. It was going to be a real financial burden to replace the whole system.鈥�
Not anymore, thanks to neighbour Yvonne Kafka. She lives down the street from the Helgrens and she was the one who nominated them for this year鈥檚 Feel The Love recipient. She read about the campaign in the Comox Valley Record.
鈥淚 nominated Kathy because I think she deserves it,鈥� said Kafka. 鈥淚 see her all the time hauling the wood from the back (they also have a wood fireplace for heat in the winter). She can outdo any man with the work she does, but it鈥檚 hard. We are getting old鈥� she鈥檚 a good neighbour.鈥�
Kathy said she was only made aware of the nomination when she got the call from Logan.
鈥淚 had no idea at all; that was a shock,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is going to help so much. (It means) better air quality for my daughter and myself. Medically, we have issues. Marie has Down syndrome, she鈥檚 had open-heart surgery, leukemia - a simple cold for you or me could land her in the hospital, if not worse. I have problems with breathing, especially when I am overworking myself. Now I don鈥檛 have to worry about running out of oil or running out of wood.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 thank (Bennett Sheet Metal and Heating) enough. The guys are excellent. Marie tells them what to do and where to do it, and the guys say she is absolutely gorgeous to work with. It鈥檚 been fun.鈥�
Since the Feel The Love program began, Lennox has provided more than 2,000 furnaces to families in need, across the United States and Canada. According to the Lennox website, with the addition of donations, thermostats, installations, parts and supplies, and labour, this comes to a $10.5 million investment by Lennox and Lennox dealers to bring comfort and safety to residents in their communities.
Kafka summed up the program with her parting words.
鈥淚 saw Kathy last night and I said 鈥楧o you have the furnace on?鈥� and she said 鈥榊es,鈥� so I said 鈥榃ell then, you feel the love.鈥欌��
