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After moving to Hawaii, Roger continued to consider what life was truly about. He began his life-long pursuit of assisting others.
The Salvation Army assists poor, destitute, and homeless persons. It feeds people who cannot afford to pay for or prepare meals for themselves and provides counseling and a variety of different support services.
Roger donated legal and business counseling and construction efforts to many organizations all over Maui and even on Oahu. He also did extremely substantial work, in almost every form of construction trade, on the Salvation Army buildings in Lahaina, Maui. This included the Salvation Army Thrift Store, the Meeting Room, the Church, and the Home of the Salvation Army Lieutenants.
Additionally, he conducted short seminars at the Salvation Army on how to obtain employment and how to overcome spousal abuse. |
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To see more images and find out more about his involvement with the Salvation Army, purchase his book
"An Almost Fatal Miracle" --
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Some construction work Roger did at the Salvation Army in Hawaii
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The outside front of the Salvation Army Meeting Room. The two double doors are visible in this photograph, as is the siding Roger installed along the outside front of the meeting area and an air conditioner he installed in one of the front windows.
Several people commented that the area now had a professional appearance as compared to its ramshackle nature before these improvements.
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Roger constructed a roof along the east side of the Salvation Army Store. The wood framing sits on concrete piers; fiberglass sheets were mounted above the framing to repel water.
The roof protects patrons and their children from the rain while they inspect clothing, toys and other items.
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Roger mounted cabinets in the kitchen located next to the Salvation Army Meeting Room. He also installed cabinets on three of the four walls, a ceiling, a linoleum tile floor, a sink, a microwave oven, a standard-size large oven, a range hood and two sets of metal shelves.
Before this, the kitchen severely lacked functionality. When Roger was done, many more people could be fed efficiently.
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This is the side of the Salvation Army Church. A driveway runs alongside the church. Roger installed the siding and the two air conditioners seen in the photograph. He also ran two electrical circuits for the air conditioners to ensure there was sufficient power for each one separately.
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"Before the accident, I was obsessed with education, travel and my legal career. After the accident, I became obsessed with helping others and assessing my relationship with God. I don't believe my activities before and after the accident can really be compared in terms of what really matters in life.
Before, I often played a pivotal role in helping large corporations and companies make or retain huge amounts of money. In contrast, my volunteer work materially improves people's lives. There is no comparison.
Comparing my spiritual life before and after the accident leads to the same conclusion. Before the accident I ordinarily spent a total of an hour a week on Sundays in church. After the accident I have done volunteer work during most of my waking hours.
Since the accident, I have spent a good deal of time each day thinking about God. I have felt especially appreciative that God's teachings appear totally consistent with my own thoughts concerning the meaning and purpose of life."
Excerpt from Roger Rizzo's book "An Almost Fatal Miracle"
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The two entry doors to the church. To the left and right of the doors are two small stands topped by large concrete casts of Santa Claus. These statues were chained and locked to the exterior wall of the facilities. The statues were only displayed during the Christmas season.
"I had to purchase the cement blocks and chain the Santas to the blocks in order to dissuade others from stealing them."
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