Linda Price was awarded a Daikin unit. Lennox, Daikin and Trane each year donate an air conditioning unit for the giveaway.

Pamela Mix has helped countless people struggling with addiction. She has even taking them into her home to give them support and a place to stay while they recover.

So, when the central air unit in her Cape Coral home died, many of those people whom she had helped over the years came to her aid, by nominating her to receive a free central air unit from a local company that given back for years.

Ellsworth Heating & Cooling, which has given away free central air units every year as part of its Christmas in July promotion, gave three free units and installation to families and people who needed them the most.

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing, Ellsworth changed the name of the promotion for this year only, and got a record number of nominations from people throughout the company’s service area.

“A lot of people wrote in, especially for Pamela. She had around two dozen people write in to nominate her. How she takes people in and what she does for the community is really special and she deserves it,” said William Barnes, president of Ellsworth Heating & Cooling.

PHOTOS PROVIDED Ellsworth Heating & Cooling installed three free A/C units for local families in need as part of the company’s annual giveaway. Zara Haines won a Trane unit.

Mix had nursed her AC for years before it finally died for good in April. She didn’t have the money to fix it and certainly not the money to buy a new one.

“I’m clean and sober and I take things as God says, and he said this would be a trial for me to see how I could handle this,” Mix said.

Her old AC guy gave her a floor unit, which worked OK at night, but it jacked up her electric bill, which was tough since she only worked part time. It also starting leaking on her floor.

When Mix found out about the contest, she applied and posted it. When she did, many people seconded, thirded and 23rd her nomination.

When Mix learned she had won the Lennox AC, she said she sat in her car and cried for three hours.

Pamela Mix won a Lennox system.

“When he came to the house later that day, I opened my garage and I was still crying,” Mix said. “When the kids came back, I was crying. I’m just a big baby. It’s such a blessing I have so many friends and family who truly love me.”

She said the first night she had the new AC unit, she wore socks on her feet the floor was so cold. But it was a great thing for her, her pets, who don’t have to stay on the lanai anymore, and the kids she brought into her home.

“I help the homeless, drug addicts and alcoholics. I help young kids get clean and sober and take them in the house. At one point, I had 11 kids,” Mix said. “They were able to get on their feet and going through life again.”

Mix said she does this to help her stay clean and sober, which she has been for 12 years, and because she feels God needs her to do something for those in addiction.

“I give them to God and let him take over. I can only plant the seed. That’s all I can do,” Mix said. “I can’t thank Ellsworth enough for all they’ve done.”

There were two other winners, both from North Fort Myers. Linda Price was awarded a Daikin unit and said she wasn’t aware of it and was blown away when she learned she had won.

“My sister nominated me. I had COVID-19 in June and I was sick for seven or eight weeks,” said Price, who had her unit installed two weeks ago after going years with window units. “This is big for me. I’m a widowed single mom so this is a huge plus for my kids.”

Zara Haines won a Trane unit after not being able to pay for the fixes on her old unit and having to stay with relatives when it became too hot.

“For a couple weeks I was able to get by with a portable unit given to us by dear friends, but when we had that heat wave it was unbearable,” Haines said. “This is a real gift and an answer to a prayer.”

Lennox, Daikin and Trane each year donate an air conditioning unit for the giveaway.

People were able to enter the contest via the North Fort Myers Civic Association, the North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary. However, their involvement was limited this year because of the pandemic. Also, the winners’ luncheon was cancelled.

Barnes said he hopes the giveaway can return to normal next year, as a Christmas-in-

Ellsworth Heating & Cooling is at 1905 N Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers. Call 866-281-5199.