Disabled veteran faces eviction, local organizations rush to help

CENTRAL POINT, Ore.–A disabled veteran in Central Point is on the verge of eviction after years of debris and garbage have piled up on his property. However, several local veterans organizations are working together to clean everything up and help the veteran stay in his home.

It’s an undertaking years in the making.

“I’ve spent my whole life here,” said Destiny Hulse. “I’ve spent a long time trying to take care of this problem by myself.”

On a rural piece of property, Hulse’s grandfather Ted Golubski has lived there for decades.

At 80 years old, the Vietnam Army veteran served for 20 years before finding another road to public service by becoming a police officer. Now though, he’s facing eviction.

The property has been building up garbage and debris for some time. Hulse says that the county has given them till March to clean up everything or else they’ll be forced to move.

But Ted’s life has taken a drastic turn. A year ago, he lost his wife and two daughters within a month of each other, according to Hulse. Currently, he is in the hospital after his granddaughter says he was abused and neglected by his caretaker. Because of that, he recently fell down the stairs and broke his hip. He is getting better and is expected to be released from the hospital in two weeks.

However, the small home he has been living in for the past couple of years is also being abused. Hulse said she and family friends have recently cleaned it out as best they can but the home is covered in black mold, roofing is falling apart, doors are unhinged, and the house reeks from animal urine and feces collected over the years.

Hulse and Morgan Lighthall-Evans, a family friend, have worked to find him a better home. They’ve managed to find a room for him in a second building on the property. But the large piles of garbage lying about are the root cause of Ted’s eviction.

“We’ve all be trying to do for years,” said Hulse. “If we could just get the property cleaned up then we could start living like normal people.”

Luckily, the families prayers were answered by a local veterans organization.

Hulse was recently called by Bryan Simpson, vice president of a local chapter for the U.S. Veterans Motorcycle Club. They’ve offered their time as volunteers to clear the debris and help save Ted from being evicted.

“We’re a local club that’s nation-wide that is very much about helping veterans but helping the community as well,” said Simpson.

The local chapter has gathered two other organizations, Rogue Valley Veterans and Community Outreach and the Disabled American Veterans organizations to help clean up the property. Bullet Rentals and Sales, Inc. has even offered equipment to help the volunteers out.

“Not only are we helping this veteran behind us, we’re helping his granddaughter and we’re helping the rest of this area and cleaning up this property and making it better for everybody,” said Simpson.

It’s a mountainous endeavor but Simpson says the county has been working with them to provide a more lenient time on the eviction so long as they’re making progress on clearing the debris.

But that takes money and time and the Veteran’s Motorcycle Club hopes they can find others willing to help them clear everything as fast as they can.

And little by little chip away at the piles of garbage with the hope, Ted will be able to stay at his home.

If you would like to know how you can help, you can reach out to U.S. Veterans Motorcycle Club on their Facebook page.

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