Larry Alfieri, good service[/caption]Carol Forsloff----At a time of hurricanes, floods, wind storms of all kinds and weather disasters everywhere, it's difficult to get construction done, given the numbers of people and structures affected, unless you are lucky enough to live in the Beaverton-Hillsboro Portland, Oregon corridor and you know Larry Alfieri.
Nothing can bring the holidays down in mood and direction than a water tank break. Add to that a cold snap with rain already and snow in the offing, and a condominium with limited space becomes even more uncomfortable with belongings everywhere and clean clothes at a premium. Insurance company promises and delays are one thing, but finding the right people to help at the right time can also be an issue, especially when many people need repairs or upgrades, as the Christmas holidays approach.
A visit to a local hardware store brought a valued name of a valuable “handyman” whose title should be much more, given his all-around skills. This Do-All name that is the monikker of the man's business outlines the real facts. He does it all and well.
Humanitarian approaches to services means a focus on real needs and having real concerns about a customer and the problems faced when a call is made, especially when it's urgent. So a handyman who does repairs is often the only individual outside of an insurance company representative that folks can interact with regarding their feelings and concerns when there is a household disaster. While neighbors may rally for support, the real thrust of help comes from where the money and work flows, as that often means the future for individuals and families.
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Water damage clutter[/caption]In areas along the East Coast, impacted by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, people still wait for help. In New Orleans it has taken people many years to recover economically from Hurricane Katrina, and construction delays and fraud was everywhere for months, if not years, leaving people to manage their feelings of depression and anger in sometimes desperate ways. But how about finding something or someone good, who knows how to meet the crisis and do the right thing, just because it's the right thing to do? That's the Larry Alfieri model. Having the skills to repair construction damage is important, but the people skills needed to support folks impacted by the damage is also very important, and sometimes lacking, as folks look for serious help when problems occur.
The bedroom closet where the water heater broke is nearing completion, even as clothes and belongings remain scattered everywhere, which will be part of the clean up process faced by the condo occupants. But the process of correcting the damage from the water offers information about not just the work itself by how to do it well, in a manner others might use as an example, as the work unfolds in phases. And in a year fraught with difficulties, as has occurred with the occupants of the condo with water heater damage, having someone whose gifts of service and helping others around to correct the problems can be a blessing, and a real symbol of what being good to others really means.
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