Another Happy Weatherization Client

Tavia Widder, age 68, lives in Durango, Colorado. She only source of income is her Social Security payment of $1,000 per month. Up until May 2011, her main source of heat was an extremely dangerous old pellet stove that once burned out of control and had to be extinguished by the local fire department. After the incident, Ms. Widder spent $1,000 of her own limited income trying to have the pellet stove repaired to no avail. Rather than risk burning down her home, Ms. Widder endured the winter months of December, January and February with no heat source. Her home became an icebox, with temperatures hovering between 49 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit. To stay warm in her living room Ms. Widder donned 2 pairs of long underwear, 2 pairs of sweatpants and sweatshirts, fleece-lined winter boots, a warm hat, a heavy wool winter coat and wrapped herself in a blanket. The cold temperatures didn't help the arthritis in Ms. Widder's hands. 

In February Ms. Widder received a letter in the mail from the Four Corner's Office for Resource Efficiency (4CORE), informing her that she automatically qualified for weatherization since she was already accepted into the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP), which helps regional families pay their utility bills. Ms. Widder completed 4CORE's application and was accepted into the program. 4CORE's subcontractors performed an energy audit of her home and discovered what work needed to be done. Weatherization crews immediately got to work repairing broken windows, performing air sealing around windows, doors and walls, and insulating the hot water heater and pipes. Finally, with the help of the LEAP Crisis Intervention Program, Housing Solutions for the Southwest removed Ms. Widder's old pellet stove and installed a brand new, safe, high efficiency stove. 4CORE inspected all of the weatherization work and approved it for health and safety, accuracy and quality. 

Ms. Widder is very thankful for her improved quality of life. She says that every morning when she comes downstairs and sees the fire going in her new pellet stove, tears of joy come to her eyes. Now she says her home is "a balmy 65 - 70 degrees".  Ms. Widder asked the weatherization crew that worked on her home, to send information to her grandson so that he might apply for a position and become part of this wonderful weatherization program. Without the Weatherization Assistance Program it is likely that Ms. Widder, an elderly woman surviving on Social Security, would still be living without heat in a dangerous environment.