Community comes together to raise money for new mobile home for … – WGME

ELIOT (WGME)-- In southern York County, money is being raised to buy a Vietnam veteran a new mobile home after his old one had to be demolished.

Tom Barr is a Vietnam vet and former Eliot police chief. Right now, people are donating their time, items and money to help him.

Barr's friend, Wayne Avery, says on a recent visit to Barr's mobile home, he found it was beyond repair.

"I could smell the mold outside. And then I went inside the house and I just saw the black mold everywhere. He's already got breathing problems, and he shouldn't be living in it," Avery said.

Avery started getting the word out, first to fellow veterans, then to people and businesses in York and Eliot.

"They stepped up and started donating stuff, and then they asked if they could help, and probably close to 30 people showed up. And we did a bunch of yard work. Got the place cleaned up," Avery said.

Another veteran, who owns an excavation company, donated his time to demolish Barr's old mobile home. It had deteriorated past the point where it could be rebuilt.

"There's just so much mold. There's nothing that we can salvage at all," Avery said. "I thought it was going to be an episode like 'Hoarders,' where people don't want to get rid of things. And much to my surprise, he pretty much let me do anything I wanted."

Right now, a local hotel is temporarily putting Barr up at no cost.

Barr will soon temporarily move into a donated trailer until enough money is raised to buy him a new home.

"The smallest, basic mobile home that we can get our hands on," Avery said.

Barr told Avery he's overwhelmed by all the support.

"I think he's just amazed that times have changed so much. That we're here to help all our vets," Avery said.

Right now, they're still raising money to try to buy a mobile home for Barr. While there's no definite timeline, there is a deadline they'd love to meet.

"The community just opened up and it's just amazing. It almost brings tears to my eyes," Avery said.

If you'd like to help, you can send a check to "Post 188," with "Tom Barr" in the memo, to Kennebunk Savings Bank, 7 Levesque Drive, Eliot, ME, 03903.

You can also donate online here.

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Community comes together to raise money for new mobile home for ... - WGME