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Plumbers Rally for Military Veteran     

Always on the lookout for an opportunity to connect people and resources, FVTC’s Chuck Wachter made life a little better for one who’s sacrificed for our nation. Wachter, a manager in the college’s Manufacturing division, heard from a military friend of his named Chris F. that his life reached a new level of quality.

After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Chris had a leg amputated below the knee due to complications from a medical condition. In addition to the emotional stresses in aftermath of the procedure, his everyday life met new challenges that many of us take for granted. One of them was his laundry arrangement at home. Chris needed his washer and dryer moved from the basement to the first floor.

Chuck Wachter

Wachter provided Chris with a referral to Besch Plumbing in Appleton thinking the business would maybe give a military veteran a discount. Chris contacted Andy Besch for a quote. Within a few days and without a quote, the Besch team came over and spent the whole day at Chris’ house making the necessary adjustments to reconfigure his laundry set up. Chris was a bit hesitant since he knew he’d have to budget for the job but didn’t want to disrupt the crew’s work. Andy informed Chris later that afternoon the work was done at no charge. 

Floored, Chris was at a loss for words. Andy quickly expounded on his company’s deed, “Chris, you just had your leg amputated last week and you served our country in the military; there is no charge. You took care of us, and now it is our turn to take care of you.”

The work included the repair of unforeseen issues concerning both the toilet and shower drain. A re-application of the house’s drain system and a new toilet installation also accompanied the moving of Chris’ laundry space. In addition, new hoses were installed to ensure the longevity of the plumbing project, and wherever electric was needed, Andy mobilized his industry contacts to have that work done for free as well.

Incidentally, two of the three plumbers involved in helping Chris are graduates of FVTC’s Plumbing apprenticeships program, and the third is a current student.