Credit Union Employees Rebuild Together at Farmington Hills Home

Employees from LOC Federal Credit Union and some of their family members spent Saturday fixing up their seventh Farmington area home, as part of the Rebuilding Together Oakland County (RTOC) annual Rebuild Day.

Lisa Wilson said the 27-member crew got to the home of Robert Boyd in Farmington Hills at around 8 a.m. and would keep working "until it's all done". She said being able to help those who can't help themselves keeps her coming back year after year. 

Even CEO Jim Dickinson was on-site, wielding a chainsaw. He said LOC board member Rick Lampi got the credit union involved in the effort, through which hundreds of volunteers help out low-income homeowners with repairs and maintenance. 

"We're helping people out just like we help people with financial challenges where we work," Dickinson said. "It's community." 

More than 1,000 volunteers worked on 45 homes in Oakland County. Boyd's home got new windows, fencing, gates, a fix for stormwater drainage and a general clean-up. 

Mike Cook, a Livonia resident and family member of an LOC employee, handled a post hole digger for a new fence around the front yard. He said he enjoys volunteering with the group.

"It just shows when a lot of people work together, you can get an extraordinary amount of stuff done in a short time." 

Boyd bought the house 46 years ago with his wife, who passed away seven years ago. After working for the Farmington Hills Division of Public Works for 25 years and as a volunteer firefighter for 16 years, Boyd is coping with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. An active volunteer with community projects in his younger days, he expressed deep gratitude for the help he's receiving. 

“I just can’t get around like I use to. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all this,” said Boyd.