Community, Service & the Stars and Stripes: Honoring a Local Veteran
Every year, the Brothers That Just Do Gutters of the Capital Region embark on a program entitled Gutters for Good. A local veteran is selected to receive a full heated gutter system, complete with gutter guards, fully free of charge. With the help of the Veterans Miracle Center in Albany, Master Sergeant Michael Slaughter was announced as this year’s recipient. We had the privilege of taking part in this year’s event by presenting a Worry Free® Set to display the Stars and Stripes proudly.
Master Sergeant Michael Slaughter
Sergeant Slaughter spent 40 years serving our country as part of the Army National Guard. He began serving at the age of 18 years old, starting in the 42nd Infantry Brigade headquartered in Troy, NY. From 2010 on, Sgt. Slaughter was deployed in Germany, Egypt, Afghanistan, and many bases around the United States. He was later augmented by the Vermont unit and served as a geo-spatial engineer. Working in Afghanistan, his job was to observe all-terrain satellite imagery in assigned regions and pull the imagery by grid coordinates to identify specific areas of interest for his captain. That data was then relayed to combat teams and utilized for their orders.
Since his retirement in 2015, Sgt. Slaughter is an avid fisherman and hunter. He enjoys cooking, baking and spending time with his family – including four children and seven grandchildren. After being widowed in 2017 by his high school sweetheart, Sgt. Slaughter has been burdened with many home repairs while on disability. This is where the Brothers That Just Do Gutters come in.
The Brothers That Just Do Gutters
The Brothers That Just Do Gutters is a veteran owned company serving the Capital Region and specializes in – you guessed it – gutters. The owner, Patrick Neill, is an Army veteran and West Point graduate. Neill is dedicated to not only providing exceptional gutter service but also to giving back to local veterans. Beyond partnering with City Mission shelter and other veteran organizations, the Gutters For Good program provides a unique service to veterans throughout the area. Upon visiting Sgt. Slaughter’s home, it was discovered he didn’t have an American flag. The holder on his home had broken and his flag was tattered. And that’s where we at Gettysburg Flag Works comes in.
Giving Back
Despite the cloudy morning, Sgt. Slaughter’s house was buzzing with excitement as friends, neighbors, members of the local media, and many others came to join the celebration. From a full breakfast spread to stick flags adorning the yard, the community had come together to honor the local veteran.
Following a Zing-A-Gram and balloon delivery, LaSalle’s Color Guard presented the colors while the national anthem was performed. As the Brothers That Just Do Gutters began working on the new gutter system, we at Gettysburg Flag Works got to present Sgt. Slaughter with his brand new flag and house-mounted pole. We feel there is no better way to honor his service, sacrifice, and commitment to our nation than with the Stars and Stripes.
Check out this video for a glimpse into the day’s celebrations!