Small Company Donates HVAC to Housing For Traveling Cancer Patients

The Waldner House at 305 College Lane in Rock Springs, Wyoming is a treasured place to a lot of people. The Waldner family of Wamsutta donated money to the Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County after their beloved Ken Waldner lost his fight with cancer in 2012. Ken Waldner had been traveling back and forth to Memorial Hospital for his treatments, so to honor him the hospital used the Waldner family’s donation to buy a house where traveling cancer patients could stay temporarily, and they named it for Ken. Today, the majority of the Waldner House residents are Memorial Hospital patients undergoing chemotherapy and various other cancer treatments.

Local Rock Springs business Vaughn’s Plumbing and Heating has been working in the area for decades — in fact, 2018 marks their 55th year. To celebrate, the Vaughn’s team knew they wanted to do something big. Their decision? To upgrade the old HVAC system at the Waldner House as a gift.

The Vaughn’s team pointed out that HVAC systems take particles out of the air that might be harmful to immunocompromised cancer patients. For an HVAC system to do this efficiently, it needs frequent inspections (at least twice a year) and plenty of upkeep like filter replacement and duct cleaning. Replacing old or neglected HVAC systems with top-notch air filtration can be costly, especially for a county hospital. It appeared that the home’s HVAC system was so old it was possibly even original to the home, so Vaughn’s knew that Waldner House was the obvious choice for celebrating their company anniversary.

The set-up? Waldner House’s new system required a three-day-long installation that included a new furnace, filtration system, and digital thermostat, but the perks were well worth the work. This new system removes over 95% of airborne particles and contaminants and boasts a high-efficiency air conditioner. The new digital thermostat is a cutting-edge touchscreen Wi-Fi model that the hospital foundation’s Executive Director Tiffany Marshall and other executives could even access from their offices at the hospital via their smartphone. Since patients could request use of the home at last minute, this preparedness is a big relief for foundation members.

Even Vaughn’s equipment supplier, a manufacturer called Lennox, got in on the project. They sold the equipment needed for the Waldner House to Vaughn’s at half-price to help curb their financial loss on the gift, which the Vaughn’s team credited to their 32-year-long partnership. In a world where consumer trust toward companies is at an all-time low, it’s heartening to see businesses that value partnerships and working together to support their community.