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Lacombe family ‘feeling the love’ with furnace and air conditioner donation

Kles-Air donated their time to a family in need by installing a furnace and air conditioner
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Sheldon Klessens, owner of Kles-Air Mechanical LTD, and the Tancock family pose for a photo while Klessens’s team worked to install a new furnace and air conditioner for the family, donated by Lennox. (Photo by Megan Roth/Lacombe Express)

A family in Lacombe is feeling the love with a donation of a brand new furnace and air conditioner thanks to the Feel the Love program.

Mehgan and Jeff Tancock were one of seven families nominated for the program, and when Kles-Air and Lennox heard their story they immediately knew they were the candidates for the “Feel the Love” program.

The Tancocks were nominated to help their youngest son, who has difficulty regulating his temperature resulting from an accident early in life.

“When we were informed we were the chosen family it was that really hot and smoky week. Our windows were all open and [our son] was on four different puffers,” Jeff said.

The family was originally nominated for a new air conditioner, which is normally not something the program provides in Canada, according to Kim Olafson, office manager at Kles-Air Mechanical LTD.

Feel the Love normally donates a free furnace to families through the Canadian Feel the Love Program. In the United States it is more common for air conditioners to be needed.

However, after hearing the Tancock’s story, Lennox agreed a new air conditioner was needed.

“We sent the guys out to do an assessment, and found that they could do with a new furnace as well. Lennox agreed to graciously donate both a furnace and air conditioner to the family,” said Olafson.

This is the first time Kles-Air has done both a furnace and air conditioner install as part of the program.

The Lacombe company has been working with Lennox and their Feel the Love program for the last four years.

This year, the company had a hard time getting nominations for the program. In the end only seven families were nominated for the program and nomination stayed open for an extra two weeks.

Olafson speculates some people are distrustful of the program.

“People see the work free and they just think, ‘Yeah right. Nothing in this world is free.’ But it really is, and it is a great program that helps families in need,” said Olafson.

Olafson says nominations for the program is open to anyone within Kles-Air’s coverage area, which is roughly anywhere within one hour of Lacombe.

Nominations for the program open in May each year, and the install always takes place the second weekend of October.

The installation is donated by the local business partner.

Olafson says they never have a problem getting volunteers to donate their time, even on Thanksgiving weekend.

“This year, with COVID and everything, we had to limit the number of volunteers. We were actually turning people away,” she said.

Kles-Air is the only company in Central Alberta to work with the Feel the Love program.

Sheldon Klessens, owner of Kles-Air, says it is a great program and he is happy to help the community through Feel the Love.

“If there are other businesses who work with Lennox I would encourage them to look into it,” Klessens said.

“It is great to give back to the community and help those who need it.”

Some examples of past nominees chosen for the program throughout North America include: community figures such as teachers, firefighters and volunteers; families facing hard times; veterans; senior citizens living in older homes; and people impacted by natural disasters.

The recipient must be the home owner, and have duct work in place to receive help through Feel the Love.