HORSESHOE BEND, Idaho — Hammering, saws buzzing, and branches falling is what was heard in Horseshoe Bend Thursday morning.
Ginger Kreiter has been waiting for almost a year to see the dying wish of her late husband George Satter be granted.
Satter, a Vietnam veteran, passed away last August from pancreatic cancer. However, before that, he reached out to Wendy Jo Ackley of Operation Grateful Hearts to ensure his family would still be taken care of.
Operation Grateful Hearts is a non-profit organization that helps support veterans by doing needed household repairs.
Ackley explained, “We take care of veterans. We make sure they have the essentials, to keep them healthy, safe, and stress-free."
One of their biggest collaborators has been Team Depot and the Home Depot Foundation.
Speaking with Kreiter, she told Idaho News 6 that the original trailer home was constructed back in 1978. In 2007, they added an extension to make more room in their home. Thursday, after another 15 years had gone by, Team Depot was seen doing more work to the property, cutting back shrubbery, replacing stairs, and removing trees.
When talking about her husband, Kreiter said, "We both were very big on giving back to the community."
Not only was George a volunteer in his community, but along with his own children, he and his wife had fostered 43 children and adopted two of them in the span of eight years. Now, his community is giving back.
"He liked to make people smile,” said Kreiter.
Talking with Kreiter she had so many nice things to say. Not just about her late husband, but of all of the wonderful people who have taken time to help her family. One in particular was Ackley, who Kreiter said, without her, none of this support would have found her family.
When I told Ackley about how much Kreiter praised her presence, Ackley said, "I have become part of the family for sure. Ginger calls me and tells me the good things that are happening, and she calls to tell me the bad things that are happening."
Kreiter told me this was like a late birthday present, as George would have turned 75 years old on Tuesday.
Operation Grateful Hearts is always wanting to find ways to help the retired military community. If you or someone you know is a veteran, you can reach out to request the reinforcement and support that is desired.
