When he returned to Aiken in recent years, James Smith, 68, moved back into the home in which he grew up.
It's full of lovely, antique furniture - some of it dating back to his great-great-grandparents. Being back means a lot to him, but the house has had problems with its heating and cooling systems.
Thanks to a group of SCE&G volunteers, those issues were eliminated in just a few hours on Tuesday. The volunteers worked to make the home more efficient, said Ginny Jones, the senior public affairs specialist for SCANA, SCE&G's parent company. The company does such projects in its service territories in the state.
"This will decrease the amount of power needed during the most extreme weather months," Jones said. "The work includes weather-stripping and beautification, and (the volunteers) are doing chalking and roof insulation to help keep the house stay cooler. We like to cover things that homeowners might not be able to take care of."
Aiken resident and volunteer Gary Wright, a gas operations manager in the Langley area, has 35 years of experience. He has volunteered in at least two other projects - one in North Augusta and the other on Columbia Avenue in Aiken.
"One of our values is to serve our community, to do the right thing," Wright said. "We're doing what we can with our weatherization efforts ... and are also doing yard work and repairs to the front porch. We've also installed ceiling fans and CFL bulbs. It's a privilege to do this."
When he learned about SCE&G's collaboration with the Aiken-Barnwell Community Action Commission, Smith applied for the program and was accepted. The house brings back so many memories to Smith; it really hasn't changed much at all since his childhood.
More than 45 years ago, he left Aiken to work for the Ford Motor Company. Smith returned to work in Aiken, then left again to operate a concessions stand in Memphis, Tennessee.
After returning to Aiken for good, Smith repaired a leaking ceiling, but the heating and cooling systems were too challenging, especially after he broke a hip earlier this year.
"It's amazing to see all these folks here," Smith said. "It's a blessing in disguise. I wouldn't have been able to do it."
Senior writer Rob Novit is the Aiken Standard's education reporter.