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Aug 26, 2009 8:09 pm US/Eastern
Volunteers Receive Help After Years Of Giving
Neighbors 4 Neighbors: 305-597-4404
MIAMI SHORES (CBS4) ―
By: Nicole Maristany
Esther and Lamar Beard are a brother and sister team that has been giving back to South Florida for years. It's something they learned from their parents.
"Our parents made it affirmative to be nice to people - you're not gonna be given a lot of stuff because you're a friend but just be a friend to everyone," explained Esther.
It's their volunteer work with the Miami-Dade Police Department that's truly inspiring. Together they've donated more than four thousand hours of service in the past 15 years. And after so many years of giving back, some folks in the community started to realize that it was the Beards who were in need of some helping hands.
"When I found out they needed help that's when I made phone calls to all of the retired officers, and people showed up to help," said Miami-Dade police Sgt. Jennifer Resko.
It was quite the feat explained Sgt. Resko.
"We spent two days unloading; we kept working and working, sanding walls and painting."
Another thing the officers and community volunteers did was bring in new beds which is something Esther hadn't had for years.
"She hasn't slept in her bed in years. She's been sleeping in a chair because her old bed had metal sticking out of it and cut her ankle, so she wouldn't sleep in it," said Sgt. Resko.
Between new beds and bathrooms, what the Beards really needed was a new roof. So the officers, that they work so hard to help, made a call to
Neighbors 4 Neighbors, and Neighbors contacted Advanced Roofing.
"It needed a new roof, and for them to have a house and not have the money to fix it is hard," said Rob Kornahrens, President of Advanced Roofing.
The new roof is not just any roof, it's solar powered, and will take the Beard's electric bill down to nothing. It's the Beard's are very excited about, "It's awesome, just awesome," said Esther.
The Beard's are still in need of two A/C wall units and a water heater, if you'd like to help out this family that's dedicated their lives to helping our community, give Neighbors 4 Neighbors a call at
(305) 597-4404 or visit
neighbors4neighbors.org.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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