Stronger Together
The volunteers took the time to take a photo with Parzedy Whitson when the job was done– from left to right, Rusty Schrader, Coleman Hylton, Chance Harper, Joe Scoggins, Eric Gladson, Parzedy Whitson, and Todd Bolton
Spray Foam Magazine – Show Issue 2025 – In late September, torrential rain from Hurricane Helene rushed down the Appalachian mountainside, flooding valleys and leaving rural communities underwater. In Lexington, South Carolina, Todd Bolton of Synergy SprayFoam & HVAC was spared the worst of the storm, but devastation rippled through a tiny community just four hours away—Green Mountain, North Carolina.
At the center of town, the lifelong home of 96-year-old Parzedy Whitson had all but washed away, leaving generations of memories at stake. A friend of the Whitson’s reached out to Bolton over social media to ask if he or anyone he knew could offer assistance, no matter how small. Struck by the family’s story, Bolton called on his network of Spray Foam World Wide (SFWW) colleagues, and they came through in a big way.
Bolton’s call-to-arms netted him a cavalry of about 15 industry experts, all stocked with tools and materials. Accufoam and Cameron Ashley Building Products donated Accufoam open-cell foam, UPC donated closed-cell foam, and Energy Fox Solutions donated assorted PPE and extra ProConnect cartridges. With the squad assembled, they headed to Green Mountain for two days just before Christmas to give the gift of foam to the Whitson family’s home.
Volunteers observe the damage from Hurricane Helene.
The crew takes a moment to smile while making a difference for this Hurricane Helene victims.
Todd Bolton’s wife Lauren even joined in the effort and got behind the gun.
To keep things efficient, Bolton split everyone into three teams: a clean-up crew led by Aaron Carden of Energy Fox, an open-cell team led by Accufoam reps Chance Harper and Tyler Fiske, and a closed-cell team led by UPC’s Rusty Schrader. Everyone on-site meant business.
“They showed up with their boots strapped on,” Bolton recalls. “It wasn’t just a blessing to have foam donated, it was humbling to see these guys work while teaching others about their product.”
Team Energy Fox took the lead on demolition and surface-prep, including tearing down all the old fiberglass batt insulation, plus cleaning and drying the wood substrate on the roof deck, walls, and subfloor. They also hung plastic masking on doors, windows, and other fixtures.
The two foam teams sprang into action once the clean-up crew gave the go-ahead. Team Accufoam installed eight inches of Accufoam open-cell foam using equipment loaned by FoamPro’s Coleman Hylton. For the walls and roof deck, Team UPC installed three inches of UPC closed-cell foam, plus an additional two inches to the subfloor using Bolton’s Gusmer GH-2. Team UPC even foamed several sections of the foundation’s loose rock base to further stabilize it.
Beyond the physical work, volunteers shared meals and swapped stories with the family, while Ms. Whitson nestled under layers of blankets, watching her house transform. By the time the volunteer fleet left Green Mountain, the house stood stronger than ever, encapsulated top-to-bottom in four sets of foam, installed with care.
Spray Foam Magazine salutes the efforts of Todd Bolton, the SFWW network, and all others who contributed their time, expertise, and supplies to re-fortify the Whitson's flood-damaged home. Together, they proved that the bonds of community can weather any storm– an easy choice for recognition.
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