The shingles on John Robbins’ garage were more than 30 years old, worn out and in need of replacement, but he was unable to make it happen.

That was where John Flowers and his sons, Wilson, Eisaac and Gareth, stepped up and re-shingled his garage for free.

“I think it is the community’s place to help rather than the government,” John Flowers said. “And I hope it is a good lesson for my kids too, since they are volunteering.”

This Powell family found out that Robbins’ roof needed replaced on Douglas Street, and they volunteered their time and labor and gathered up the supplies with some help within the community.

“I don’t know them very well,” Robbins said. “At least someone knows what they are doing; I never did that kind of work.”

The roof wasn’t leaking yet and the wood underneath was fine, but Robbins’ insurance company was worried it would leak soon and damage the structure and its contents, John Flowers said.

The Flowers had some help in buying the roofing materials and used their own dump truck to haul away the old shingles, John Flowers said. Work began Friday, and they anticipated finishing the following day.

It’s not too common to see people helping each other out on this high of a level, and John Flowers said it should happen more often.

Wilson Flowers, the oldest of the sons working on the roof, is a professional roofer, so helping Robbins out was right up his alley.

“We do what we can,” Wilson Flowers said.