Apr 20 2010
"When three severely injured veterans from the San Antonio area met our criteria and were approved to have a specially adapted home built for them we decided to take our usual 3-day build brigade and do it Texas style," said John Gonsalves, founder of Homes for Our Troops. "Big," he added.
Homes for Our Troops and their Build Brigade sponsor Dunkin' Donuts and the Baskin Robbins Community Foundation will hold the Texas 3 Star Build Brigade April 30 - May 2 for three severely injured veterans that will soon be able to share war stories, talk about future plans and watch their children grow up as they become neighbors in the same Harvest Hills Sub-Division in Marion, Texas.
The severely injured veterans include:
- Marine Corporal Jose Perez suffered multiple injuries from an IED explosion in Fallujah, Iraq and returned a paraplegic
- Marine Corporal Neil Frustaglio returned a double amputee when an IED hit the vehicle he was riding in Ar Ramadi, Iraq
- Army Sergeant Nathan Hunt lost both of his legs in Baghdad, Iraq when an IED exploded under the vehicle he was riding in
Homes for Our Troops partnered with Jack Uptmore from Uptmore Custom Homes to oversee the building of the three barrier free specially adapted homes.
"This is a monumental project to construct three barrier-free specially adapted homes all in one weekend," said John Gonsalves. "We know that hundreds of volunteers and professional trades people will show up at our Texas 3 Star Build Brigade to not only help build these homes but to also come to personally thank Marine Corporal Jose Perez, Marine Corporal Neil Frustaglio and Army Sergeant Nathan Hunt and their families for their service and sacrifice on our behalf," Gonsalves added.
A Homes for Our Troops Build Brigade is a three-day construction event attended by a brigade of hundreds of volunteers, professional trades people to build the homes and community volunteers to support the event with food, refreshments and other services. During the Build Brigade the framing and roof is completed, and doors, windows and siding are installed to make it weather tight for the interior work.
Source: http://www.homesforourtroops.org/