'God bless you'

COEUR d'ALENE - It was the words that caught his attention.

Five, simple words.

"God bless you, John Hoffman."

The general manager for RDI Heating and Cooling in Hayden had just dropped off some temporary, electric heaters at the home of Bob Quast.

The Coeur d'Alene man's 38-year-old heating system had failed, "given up the ghost," and couldn't be fixed.

That's when RDI got the call around Christmas, and Hoffman paid a visit.

"As I was leaving, he says, "God bless you, John Hoffman," and I thought to myself, 'God doesn't bless me for floor heaters, or at least he certainly shouldn't.'"

Hoffman returned to the business, spoke to the owner and supervisor. They wanted to do more for Bob Quast than sell him a new heating system for his small, two-bedroom house on Front Avenue.

"We decided we're going to donate a system for him," he said.

So Monday, Hoffman and others were at Quast's home, going over details for the $6,500 project that's scheduled to begin Wednesday and take 2-3 days.

The old floor system in the basement had one vent leading to the living room that heated the entire upstairs. Quast used electric heaters for the kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms. His monthly bill was running in the $450 range.

But no more.

RDI will install new vents leading to all the rooms, Hoffman said. It will be an energy efficient system, provide even temperature throughout the home, so Quast's monthly bill should fall dramatically.

"We could put in another one of these, but he's still going to be paying the $450 a month," Hoffman said as he stood by the furnace in Quast's basement.

The 60-year-old Quast, who has cerebral palsy, was all smiles as he sat in the living room of his home where he has lived since 1974. He was appreciative and thankful.

"This one worked for a long time, but it's time for changes," he said.

"It's important that everybody has a good heating system," he added.

Quast is a familiar sight in Coeur d'Alene as he travels in his motorized scooter to the Ironhorse restaurant on Sherman Avenue, where he works.

It will be nice, he said, to have heat again in his home, and even better to save a bit of money each month.

"When they first built it, they should have put ducts in it at the time," he said, shaking his head.

The former Special Olympian who competed in swimming events grew up in a military family. His cerebral palsy only made him work harder.

"That toughed me up quite a bit," he said. "My mom and dad, they helped toughen me up. They knew I'd have to be on my own some day."

He maintains an upbeat, positive attitude, despite his disorder that affects muscle tone, movement, and motor skills. It can also affect vision, hearing and speech.

"Thank God it only affected the legs a little bit. The mind and everything else works OK," he said, laughing.

His longtime neighbor, Frank Darlington, said Quast deserves a break.

"Bobby is the nicest person you'll ever know," he said. "He's handicapped and he wants to do it himself. It's almost insulting to him if you help him when he doesn't want it."

Darlington said Quast works hard and is often "out doing his part for society, even with his handicap."

"I admire a guy like that," he said. "You don't see people like that."

Wayde Spiker, owner of Spiker Electric, is also donating to the project.

"People are hurting right now," he said. "If you've got the skills and you've got the time, why not?"

Hoffman said RDI contributes work and products a few times a year. Heaters, gas stoves and vents have gone in gratis for seniors, churches and others in need of assistance.

RDI is happy to step up.

"We find when you give back, you get back," Hoffman said.