Veteran thought he was on his own, until volunteers stepped in to help with his home

Saturday was anything but lazy for a group of local volunteers. About a dozen people worked on the Warner Robins’ home of veteran Leslie Enderle. The house will be torn down in the coming weeks and a new home built in its place.

Enderle, 60, has lived on the Alabama Avenue property for 44 years, in the three-bedroom, one-bathroom house his parents bought when he was a teenager. His father served in the Air Force for 20 years, and Enderle was in the Navy for six years. His son has been with the Army for 13 years.

Enderle used to do construction, but he hasn’t been able to work for the past decade because of chronic back, knee and neck pain. Without the financial means, his family home fell into disrepair and was condemned in November, he said.

Dean Terrell, founder of nonprofit Help a Veteran, stepped in after someone told him about Enderle’s situation. Terrell normally helps veterans with claims, but this is his first build project, he said.

After a few Facebook posts, a team of local residents jumped on board to help, led by Kathleen residents Kimberly and Billy Chancy. Enderle said he didn’t know any of the helpers until a few weeks ago.

Many of the volunteers have ties to the military, and they wanted to reach out to a veteran in need. Miste Bedgood, of Warner Robins, has a daughter going into the Navy in June. Dianne Burch lives one street over from Enderle, and her husband served in the Navy and her son, father, grandfather and great-grandfather in the Army.

“When I first met Leslie, I just felt like I’d know him forever,” Kimberly Chancy said. “I could see that (help) was needed, and more people are needed. This thing has got to come down and get him a new (house), and I know we can do it. I just feel like it’s the right thing to do.”

Over the past couple weeks, volunteers have cleaned out Enderle’s house and moved his belongings to a storage unit, she said. A Go Fund Me campaign allowed them to buy a camper for Enderle to live in while the home is being rebuilt, although he’s awaiting city approval before he can move in. He’s staying with his brother and friends until then, Enderle said.

On Saturday, the volunteers removed yard debris and prepared the structure to be torn down, Chancy said. They will save what materials they can, Terrell said. Blueprints are being drawn for the new home.

“This dropped out of the sky. I’ve been walking on clouds the last month,” Enderle said. “It’s a blessing to me to have these people come out of the woodwork and help me try to save this place. I though I was at it on my own, and all of a sudden I’ve got 12 to 15 people every weekend out here helping.”

The goal is to have the old house razed in two to four weeks and the new one up in six months, Enderle said. The group is getting assistance from local businesses and hopes to also get Lowe’s and Home Depot involved.

They need as much help as they can get from the community, and no deed is too small, said Carla Fiske, of Kathleen.

Over on Kensington Court, the home of another veteran was being rehabbed Saturday. About 25 volunteers from Warner Robins Home Depot and Rebuilding Together Warner Robins renovated the house of Jeffrey Walker, a disabled Army veteran.

They installed a new roof, replaced the fence, planted flowers and fruit trees, and started putting new siding on the house, said Michael Jennings, Warner Robins Home Depot operations manager. The siding will be finished this week. The project was made possible through a $15,000 grant and donated services and materials.

“I’m a disable veteran myself,” Jennings said. “If we can do anything for veterans, it touches a special place in your heart. (Walker) doesn’t have to worry about losing his house. He can worry about taking care of what he needs to take care of.”

This story was originally published March 4, 2017 at 4:16 PM with the headline "Veteran thought he was on his own, until volunteers stepped in to help with his home."