By Anna Erickson
aerickson@parkrapidsenterprise.com
James Sackett, of rural Nevis, is the recipient of a free furnace through the Heat Up Minnesota program.
Minnesota Lennox dealers and Lennox International participate in the program. Ike’s Heating and Cooling participated in Heat Up Minnesota and installed the furnace free of charge.
In 2012 and 2013 nearly 100 deserving families received a new high efficiency Lennox furnace completely free of charge. Lennox provides the furnace, and participating Lennox dealers provide the installation.
Nominations are taken and reviewed and the most deserving people are selected to receive a new furnace.
The new high efficiency gas furnace is replacing an old oil furnace at Sackett’s home.
“We typically replace an existing gas furnace but we needed to do a bit more work here and get the gas set up as well,” said Justin Isaacson, owner of Ike’s.
Isaacson and his crew were happy to do the installation for Sackett.
He had been paying about $4 per gallon on oil fuel for a furnace that was maybe 60 percent efficient, Isaacson said. The new furnace is about 95 percent efficient and gas will cost about $1.95 per gallon, which will save him money.
“I’ve known Jim for a long time,” Isaacson said. “We used to work together on a recycling truck when I was in high school.”
He is very deserving of the new furnace, Isaacson said.
“If we can help someone out it’s definitely worth it,” he said. “It makes you feel good.”
Sackett had spinal meningitis when he was nine months old that left him with severe hearing loss. He graduated from Minnesota School for the Deaf in 1979. He is a handyman for area lake home owners.
In his spare time, his hobby is making diamond willow wood creations, which he sells locally.
He was a member of the Nevis Boy Scouts and played football and was on the wrestling team in high school.
Sackett stays in touch with many of his deaf friends on a video phone using sign language. He speaks some but usually receives help from his father, Jim Sackett, who speaks fluent sign language.
