New roof for US Army veteran in Lower Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania

LOWER POTTSGROVE, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A Lower Pottsgrove, Montgomery County veteran, who spent most of his life giving back to his country and community, received a nice surprise on Tuesday: a new roof over his head.

As Rutter Roofing installed the roof on 36-year-old U.S. Army veteran Joe Oberholtzer's home, the staff was drawn to the nomination letter.

Part of it read, "Joe has been serving the community since he was old enough to work" and "I can think of no one more deserving of getting a new roof than Joe and his family."

Oberholtzer says, "I joined the military at 17 and I just enjoy serving, serving my community, serving my country."

"We recently got married in the fall, we went on our honeymoon in March and cut it short because of COVID," said his wife, Shannon.

On top of that, they were ready to shell out $10,000 for a new roof this spring.

"I've been trying to patch it together myself and the guys on the roof will tell you they've found some of my patch jobs," said Oberholtzer.

Then Shannon's dad found a contest for a free roof through Rutter Roofing, and when the staff read his letter, it was a no brainer.

Workers started the installation on Tuesday.

"With so many people going through hard times, here is an individual who just continuously, not only through his military service but in every day being a first responder, being an awesome dad, just every day giving back to the community," said Jackie Daller, the director of business development for Rutter Roofing.

In addition to being a veteran, Oberholtzer is also a police officer and a lifelong volunteer at Sanatoga Fire Company. The roofing company says he's spent his whole life giving back to the community, it's time the community did something for him.

"It's just been non-stop serving for my entire life. I just don't know what else I would do rather than serve," he said.