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Tenants receive some relief after storm ruins 56 A/C units in complex

Some residents at the Arbor at Cotton Grove have been without A/C for weeks. The complex and a local church were quick to jump in to help.

LEXINGTON, N.C. — Almost three weeks ago, a storm rolled through Lexington, causing a power surge that took out 56 A/C units at the Arbor at Cotton Grove apartment complex. 

With supply chain issues and inflation, getting parts to repair the units would take time. So, the apartment complex and a local church jumped in to help.

Taking care of her five children, Saranda Sturdivant says the heat was too much, so the complex provided some temporary relief until units were fixed.

“They immediately provided fans for us, well for me, I was grateful for that but other than that it did get a little hectic, but I took my kids to the splash pad,” Sturdivant explained. 

The complex told WFMY that as soon as the units went out, door knocking started. The property manager and maintenance man said they checked on residents and provided box fans if needed. The maintenance man said he even put window units in some homes where it was needed the most.

Credit: Amber Lake

One resident who lives in the apartment complex said she has lupus. She said the heat worsens symptoms for her so it was important to stay cool. The resident told WFMY that the apartment complex has really stepped up to help.

“I’ve lived at a lot of other places and I was not put first. So, this was great for me. I appreciated it. Because of lupus, a lot of people don’t know, that with the condition you have in the heat, you can have flareups, but this is the first time I’ve lived somewhere where they have taken care of it and actively checked,” the resident explained.  

A local church heard about the issues the residents were facing and stepped up to help as well.

“We came out to the apartment complex and delivered two fans to each unit that needed them and some ice towels,” said Jim Skotthy, Business Administrator with First Baptist Church in Lexington

They delivered a hundred fans last week to residents.

“A little boy came up to us and said, 'Mommy said that I needed to come out and thank you,' and he handed us a handwritten note, so that was really special and that was really important,” Skotthy said. 

Credit: First Baptist Church in Lexington

The complex said 36 of the 56 units have been repaired.

They said for the 20 units that aren’t repaired just yet, the complex’s maintenance man has worked tirelessly to install window units to make sure those residents have some temporary relief.

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