Keith Wagler, pictured here with his supplies in his van, will be retiring at the end of June.
For 34 years, Keith Wagler has been the friendly face of House of Friendship’s Appliance Repair Program.
Through this unique program (the only one of its kind in Canada), Keith has visited thousands of homes in Waterloo Region since 1984, helping families and individuals living on low income who would otherwise have no way to repair their broken appliances.
“I know some people wouldn’t be able to fix their appliances themselves,” said Keith. “Some of them would have to do without.”
There are thousands of Waterloo Region residents who are living on low income. When an appliance breaks down, they may have to choose between fixing an appliance or paying the rent.
Thanks to the generous support of your donations, along with funding from the Region of Waterloo, thousands of men and women haven’t had to make that choice.
“If you live somewhere else, it’s 100 per cent your problem,” said Keith. “You would have to pay for it yourself.”
The impact of your support has made a difference in the lives of many, including Betty.*
“Thanks for coming to repair my stove and dryer,” Betty wrote. “I was getting depressed trying to keep up with things going wrong around here. It’s nice to know that there are people or organizations who really help people in hard times.”
With fewer appliances able to be repaired, and program funding discontinued, and Keith will be putting away his tools at the end of June, grateful for having the chance to make a difference in the lives of the people he served.
Problem-solving and trouble-shooting are two of the great pleasures that Keith enjoyed as part of his job, as well as the opportunity to get to know families and individuals from a wide range of cultures.
As part of the program, Keith worked hard to provide the best service he could, with dignity, compassion and respect.
He would do this in little ways, like making sure his work boots were covered whenever he entered a home, or by scheduling appointments on a priority basis, such as repairing refrigerators as soon as possible, and making sure stoves are working properly in the weeks before Thanksgiving and Christmas.
This service-oriented response came from a compassionate heart, one that realizes that bad things can happen to good people, that poverty can affect us all.
“Anyone could be in those circumstances,” said Keith. “It could happen to anyone.”
Upon his retirement, Keith plans to continue to stay active in the community, including staying connected to Mennonite Disaster Service, a charitable organization that he has been involved in for many years.
“I think as long as I have my health, I’d like to serve as long as I can.”
