ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A local company has come to the rescue of an Orange County domestic violence shelter after thieves stole its brand new air conditioning unit.
WFTV told reported week when crooks took the air conditioning unit from the Harbor House. However, Wednesday, Rinaldi's Air Conditioning installed a new unit for free.
Last week Harbor House was scrambling to come up with thousands of dollars, but this week they're right back on track with an important new facility.
"When we got the phone call, the entire board was just shocked," Carol Wick of Harbor House said.
A little more than a week after WFTV reported on thousands of dollars in A/C equipment being stolen from a battered women's shelter, all is well again.
Rinaldi's Air Conditioning installed a new system free of charge.
"At Rinaldi's we give back to the community. So we're here to offer our assistance, our help and Trane was nice enough to donate the equipment to us," Dave Budd of Rinaldi's A.C said.
The $5,500 unit disappeared from a new School for Children of Domestic Violence, just weeks before the giant facility was set to open.
"I've got 60 children in the shelter right now and we only have daycare capacity for 15. So any delay at all, really just delays them getting the services they need," Wick said.
In addition to the 60 children, Harbor House shelters about 100 battered women.
Officers have not found the thieves, but the blow was dampened Wednesday when Harbor House board members realized their loss was quickly replaced.
"To have it resolved so quickly and to have Rinaldi's install it for free was just a big relief. Of course lots of credit goes to the Trane Company; they donated the unit, the exact one that was stolen," Wick said.
The school should be open sometime next month.
Previous Stories: July 7, 2010: A/C Stolen From Domestic Violence Shelter
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