Whidbey Islanders and beyond have come together to support a Vietnam War veteran in his hour of need.

Oak Harbor resident Bill Adams was in a bind. The 78-year-old could not afford to replace the roof on his home. He worried about losing the house.

When Thor Westerland heard about this quandary, he reached out to others he knew who could provide their time, materials and monetary donations for the project.

Westerland said that these days it can cost $10,000 to replace a roof. He found that Burlington-based CB Wholesale is willing to provide the materials. The ‘Chauns — a motorcycle club in Island County – are also lending their support, as well as a mix of veterans and civilians that include Mark Durkee, Patrick Ford, Adam Stewart, Scott Lee, Phil Shuart, Kyle Hoing and Dan McPherson.

A veteran himself, Westerland has the utmost respect for Vietnam veterans, who often were treated poorly when they returned home from serving their country. He also lost a cousin to the war, which he still feels passionately about.

“We raise a lot of money for people in need in the community, and that’s just what we do,” he said. “The ‘Chauns’ motto is ‘We Ride for a Cause.’”

The dedicated group of volunteers plan to replace Adams’ roof this Saturday.