BLAINE, Minn., — (Dec. 19, 2013) — When Mary walked into The Home Depot in Blaine back in November, she had no idea what was about to happen. She went in to ask some questions about a bathroom remodel that she was about to begin and a Home Depot employee made a keen observation when he visited her home. “I had two wreaths set down on the table there, and I had one for my son’s memorial,” she said. “I lost him on Thanksgiving day 30 years ago, he was in the navy and then I lost a brother a year ago and I had a wreath for his grave,” she explained, “I said, ‘why are you doing this?’ And he says, ‘we’re Home Depot and we do this for the veterans.’”
In 1992 Home Depot officially launched Team Depot – a program that brings together volunteerism, do-it-yourself expertise, product donations and monetary grants as a way to support the communities where the associates live and work. Every Home Depot retail store in the U.S., Canada and Mexico has a Team Depot program and Team Depot volunteers. Jeremy Miller was leading Mary’s project and it was his first time in charge of this kind of project.
Jeremy was moved by the stories that Mary shared with him and felt that she deserved to have this work done for her. When Mary went into The Home Depot back in November she was just looking for some information about new frames for her bathroom mirrors but once Team Depot took over, Mary explained that they decided to redo her entire bathroom. “I think he felt, I don’t think she can do this,” Mary said.
Jeremy explained how the idea for the project began when she walked into the store. “She wanted some miter cuts and then she just told us that she doesn’t know what kind of nails to use,” Jeremy said.
Mary said he made an offer that she could not refuse. “He said bring the mirrors in and he would do them,” she said. “And I said I don’t think I can I think they’re glued to the wall.” So Jeremy took the offer a step further. “That’s what just brought me and my other associate Mason about to take control of this project and come over here and help her out,” Jeremy said.
Mary said that’s when he decided to turn a simple job into an entire project. “I said wait until I call you because I’m painting, and he says ‘don’t paint, I’ll paint,’” she said. Jeremy explained all of the detail him and his team decided to put into the project. “We’re painting the ceilings and the walls and putting new trim up around her mirrors that she originally came in for, and then we’re doing some other things,” he said. “We put a new shower head in her shower for her”
Mary was ecstatic. “I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I thought, ‘I don’t know why it happened,’” she said.
Jeremy said was moved by the stories that Mary shared with him, and felt that she deserved to have this work done for her. “We like to give back to our community and when Mary came in, the story she told us just touched me Mason and the other associates, and we thought we would give back to the community and take care of her and help her out a bit for the holidays,” he said. “Just the stories she told about her son and her husband just really touched us.”
For Jeremy, doing this project was a no-brainer. “That’s what Home Depot’s here for,” he said. “We’re here to take care of our customers and just help out the community; help out people that deserve to be helped.”
For Mary, it has put a big smile on her face during this holiday season.“I think it’s wonderful that there’s people out there that do stuff like that and it sure made my Thanksgiving and holidays a lot nicer,” she said.
In addition to the work in her bathroom the crew from The Home Depot also brought Mary a Christmas tree which they set up before they left and Jeremy surprised Mary with a special presentation. “Mary when I came in here and did that sight visit to figure out what else we can do, and I saw your memorial with your son with the flag and I saw it’s without a case, me coming from a military background and a military family, I made the privilege of having one of my associates make a case for you and it’ll display your son’s flag.”
Mary, who already does a lot for her neighborhood was inspired by the kindness and generosity of Jeremy and the entire team from The Home Depot. “It make’s me want to do something for somebody,” she said.
