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Mon Valley veterans receive free furnaces for the holidays

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Veteran Austin Large and his wife, Kathleen, are shown at left in December 202 with representatives from JED Heating & Cooling in Donora, from left, Arnold Santavicca, Joe Waters and Jim DeLattre.

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Monongahela veteran Stewart Battle, left, is shown Dec. 11 with J&A HVAC of South Park owner Anthony Passatore when Battle received a free furnace installed by the company.

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The furnace

Editor’s note: This story is part of an occasional series in which the Observer-Reporter will highlight acts of kindness by community members throughout December.

MONONGAHELA – Anthony Passatore knew he had to help a Monongahela veteran after hearing about his hardships during the holiday season.

Passatore, owner of J&A HVAC in South Park, offered his staff free of charge to install a new, donated furnace in the home of Stewart Battle, a single father of three.

“It’s just been great,” Passatore said.

His company is among two that provided a free furnace to a veteran in need in the Mon Valley.

JED Heating & Cooling in Donora did the same thing for Austin and Kathleen Large of Elizabeth Township.

JED owner Jim DeLattre said the Larges are his customers who needed their furnace serviced. An inspection determined it would have cost too much money to repair it, putting the family in fear of not having heat for the winter.

Battle had a similar problem and was without heat when J&A came to the rescue.

Trane provided the furnaces and both companies supplied the staff and supplies to install them.

The new furnaces will not only lower their natural gas bills, but their homes will be much warmer with energy efficient heat.

“They couldn’t thank me enough,” DeLattre said. “It made their Christmas.”

Meanwhile, Passatore said he’s fielded many calls from people wanting to help Battle after the story became public. His company is using the donations to make Battle’s Christmas even happier.

To share a story about an act of kindness, email staff writer Katie Anderson at kanderson@observer-reporter.com.

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