Dave’s Services lead installer, J.J., installers a new furnace at the Holycross residence in Troy recently. The furnace and install were donated by Dave’s Services. This was the 12th year that the Troy business, founded by Dave DeNoyer, has made such a donation.
Mike Ullery | Miami Valley Today
TROY — Dave’s Services continued a 12-year tradition on Friday, Dec. 23, donating a furnace and installing it free of charge for someone who needs heat during the holiday season.
“Heat’s an important thing,” Dave’s Services Employee Jim Morlan said. “We don’t just need heat in our house; the water lines running in a house need heat, because if not they’re going to break.”
Dave’s Services has donated a furnace and installation each year since the program was started in 2011. This year’s furnace was installed on the day before Christmas Eve.
“This is the 13th furnace we’ve given away,” Morlan said. “One year we did two of them.”
Those in need of help with heat encouraged to apply for the free furnace program online, at Dave’s Services website, or in-person at the company’s office located at 430 S. Crawford St. More information can be found online at www.davesservices.com.
“We have a form that can be filled out,” Morlan said. “We have it always hanging here in our office.”
The recipient of this year’s free furnace and installation was Sonia Holycross of Troy, who needed heat due to her furnace breaking down unexpectedly during recent sub-zero temperatures.
“I was in tears,” Holycross said of her reaction to finding out she had been selected.
“I woke up with frost on the inside of my windows,” she said. “I can’t thank Dave’s Services enough.”
Holycross said she heard about the furnace donation program from her boss, who heard the program mentioned on the radio.
“I wouldn’t have known, had my boss not listened to the radio,” she said.
“For other people who are in this situation, I would say to sign up,” she said. “You never know; God knows the plan, we don’t.”
Dave’s Services started the furnace donation program 12 years ago, as a way to give back to the local community.
“It was something we saw a need for,” Morlan said. “Dave’s Services has been in business since 1984, so we’ve been dealing with customers around Troy for a long time.”
The value of each year’s furnace varies, ranging from approximately $3,500 to $5,500.
“There’s different variables, as far as what needs done on the job,” Morlan said.
In addition to the furnace donation program, Dave’s Services also helped to start a separate program in conjunction with the Troy Foundation.
“After we’d done the free furnace for so many years and we kept seeing more and more need, we started what’s called the HIGH program, or Helping Individuals Get Heat,” Morlan said.
“It amounts to donations that people make,” he said. “Dave’s Services actually matches those donations made up to a certain point. Once enough donations have been collected, we go out and do another free furnace installation.”
Holycross said she plans to make a donation to the HIGH program in the future, as a way to help “pay it forward.”
“We have a lot of amazing organizations and businesses that do want to help,” she said. “They want to serve in their community.”
“It’s other people in the community helping their own community,” Morlan said. “Dave’s Services is just wanting to thank the community around us by giving back.”
“We’re here because of this community,” he said.
