After teens make fun of elderly man's home, community rallies to fix it up
Comments from two rude teenagers inspired one Oregon community to come together to give an elderly man's home a fresh makeover.
Josh Cyganik, 35, sees Leonard Bullock, 75, every day at work at the Union Pacific rail yard in Pendleton. Bullock lives across the street, and likes to sits on his porch, watching the neighborhood. "In the morning when I get here, he's there, waves, when I go home, waves bye," Cyganik told ABC. "I just waved to him, knew he was a nice guy." In July, Cyganik overheard two teens walking by talk about how Bullock's house was unattractive and should be burned and torn down. "The look on Leonard's face said it all to me," he said. "I went home and thought about it and it was just bothering me, eating me up, and I knew I had to do something."
Cyganik quickly came up with a plan to spruce up Bullock's home, and was able to get materials donated by a local lumber and paint store, and used Facebook to ask friends to give him some assistance. He expected a few people to join him, but his post went viral, and more than 100 volunteers showed up July 18 to freshen up Bullock's home. The entire house was painted white, and new furniture was purchased for the porch. People dropped off food and drinks throughout the day, with the surplus going to the local Salvation Army. Cyganik said it was "overwhelming" to see so many people come together to help Bullock, and reports that he is enjoying his revamped home: "Day in and day out, he's still there and he grins ear to ear."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Baltimore bridge disaster: Who is going to pay and how?
Today's Big Question Politicians, legal experts, and the insurance industry are all grappling with the financial fallout of America's worst infrastructure tragedy in years
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Melting polar ice is messing with global timekeeping
Speed Read Ice loss caused by climate change is slowing the Earth's rotation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Stick guitar
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
More than 2,000 dead following massive earthquake in Morocco
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mexico's next president will almost certainly be its 1st female president
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
North Korea's Kim to visit Putin in eastern Russia to discuss arms sales for Ukraine war, U.S. says
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Gabon's military leader sworn in following coup in latest African uprising
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published