Rebuilding Together Colorado Springs Helps Fort Carson Hero
Article type: Press Release
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (February 29, 2008) — Rebuilding Together Colorado Springs will bring a small army of community volunteers together with national sponsor Countrywide Financial Corporation and project sponsor Booz Allen Hamilton to provide major repairs and accessible modifications to the home of Sergeant Raleigh Heekin this Saturday, March 1.
Sgt. Heekin served as a platoon leader in the 9th infantry regiment, 2nd Brigade, out of Ft. Carson, Colo. In February 2007, his unit was on patrol in Iraq when he was struck by an IED. His recovery process has been lengthy. Still serving on active duty at Ft. Carson, Sgt. Heekin resides in his three-floor home in Fountain, Colo., with his wife, Misty, and their three children.
“We are particularly pleased to be bringing Serving Those Who Serve to this area that is home to Fort Carson and the Air Force Academy,” said Rick Simon, First Vice President for Countrywide and a Rebuilding Together volunteer for 10 years. “This community absolutely understands and shares Countrywide’s belief that we must not forget the individual American heroes who are serving our nation, and particularly those, like Sgt. Heekin, who have come home with life-changing injuries. Through private contributions to Rebuilding Together, from Countrywide, Booz Hamilton and others, Serving Those Who Serve honors our forces and lets them know we will not forget their service and sacrifice in the ongoing debate over our military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Modifications to the home are expected to include: new plumbing, drywall and painting; the transformation of the first floor into an accessible bedroom and bathroom; new heating and electrical wiring; and the installation of grab bars and other bathroom hardware.
The Serving Those Who Serve program was launched by Rebuilding Together in partnership with Countrywide Financial Corporation in September 2005 to help service men and women of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. To date, nearly 25 current military personnel and veterans have been served.
“We are very excited about giving back to those that serve and risk their lives for us on foreign shores. This is a small token of appreciation in comparison to what they give,” said Kurt Stephens, Managing Partner, Booz Allen Hamilton, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Volunteers from the community including those from Countrywide and Booz Allen Hamilton will work on Sgt. Heekin’s house at 621 Rye Ridge Road in Fountain starting at 9a.m. Saturday. Dignitaries from the community including Ft. Carson and VIP guests are expected to tour the project throughout the morning.
To learn more about Rebuilding Together log onto www.RebuildingTogether.org.
About Rebuilding Together
Rebuilding Together is the nation's largest nonprofit organization working to preserve homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods by providing rehabilitation services free of charge to those in need. Through the support of corporate sponsors, local businesses, and the hands-on work of a quarter-million volunteers, Rebuilding Together rehabs and repairs nearly 10,000 homes and nonprofit facilities annually. The market value of this work is nearly $100 million annually. In addition to its core home repair work, Rebuilding Together rehabs community centers and conducts home modification and repair programs that focus on elder home safety, energy efficiency, veterans housing, and disaster recovery and reconstruction. Rebuilding Together has nearly 225 affiliates and recently celebrated the rehabilitation of its 100,000th home. For details, see http://www.rebuildingtogether.org or call 1-800-REHAB-9.
CONTACT: Cynthia Woodruff, Rebuilding Together (202) 420-0824.
Initiatives: Serving Those Who Serve