American Heroine: GPS Insight Volunteers at World War II Veteran’s Home

On Monday, September 11th, 2017, GPS Insight employees attended a 9/11 service and remembrance volunteer event hosted by HandsOn Greater Phoenix. They are a non-profit volunteer management organization working within the Phoenix Metropolitan area.

Forty people were in attendance with two other groups joining GPS Insight from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. This was a day to remember and honor those who have served our country and to give back to them. GPS Insight, along with the two other groups, went to the home of 97-year-old World War II veteran, Maxine Holly.

In addition to spending time with her and hearing her amazing story of service to our country, GPS Insight and the other volunteers worked to repair different sections of her house.

They worked on repairing sections of her garage door frame, resurfacing and repainting areas of the home, replacing light bulbs with energy-efficient ones, replacing various bathroom appliances, repairing and replacing sections of her backyard fence, as well as landscaping the backyard.

“The scene consisted of people from various ages and walks of life for one common goal –commemorating a day where something horrible happened to our country by doing something good for someone who sacrificed for it,” said Emily LaChapelle, Events Coordinator for GPS Insight. “Maxine still gets around on her own and doing things without the aid of her caretaker. When someone asked if she had a dustpan, she promptly got up to retrieve it without saying a word. It was inspiring to see her tenacity alive and well.”

Emily went on to explain how gracious Maxine was for everyone’s hard work. “On a day that can stir up so many emotions, being around Maxine uplifted everyone with her encouraging spirit that instilled a sense of always striving to work hard and not take life sitting down.” It was an honor to visit with this American heroine and give back to her on this important date in our nation’s history.

If you live in the Phoenix area and interested in learning more about HandsOn Greater Phoenix, you can visit their website at http://www.handsonphoenix.org.