United States Army veteran Sgt. First Class James Doyle and his family received a grand gesture last Friday in honor of Veterans Day. The military family, based in LaGrange, was built a brand new three-bedroom home with a garage by volunteers who took part in the construction put together by Square Foot Ministry in partnership with SunTrust Bank and Gainesville-based builders America’s Home Place.
In an effort to give back, Doug Higgins, President of Square Foot Ministry and Division President of America’s Home Place, brought together his two worlds by reaching out to a family in need. “We wanted to do something in honor of Veterans Day so we contacted Fort Benning to find out how we could give back to the soldiers,” said Higgins. “Through their Wounded Warrior Program, we received information of James Doyle and decided to come together to build a house for his family.”
Additionally, Higgins challenged that the house be built in 12 hours, as opposed to a normal time frame of six days. The challenge was met with more than 250 volunteers who came to help build the home for the Doyle family.
While serving in Iraq in 2004, Doyle was injured by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that left him severely disabled. The home was built to accommodate Doyle’s disabilities with three-foot wide doorways, a one story floor plan, and is easily adaptable for special needs.
SunTrust donated .16 acres of land in LaGrange along with over 50 volunteers, from SunTrust’s Solid Gives Back volunteerism program. “When America’s Home Place came to us with this idea, we absolutely wanted to get involved in giving back to one of our soldiers,” said SunTrust West Georgia President and CEO Allen Taber. “At 6 a.m., this was nothing but leveled ground, but to see this house come together with the help of all of these volunteers is unbelievable.”
The Doyle family watched as people came throughout the day to build them a home. “It’s the most overwhelming gesture I have ever received, and I feel there are people who are more deserving,” said Doyle, who is now retired. “But, it is amazing to see all of these people give my family such an amazing gift and I really could not be more grateful."
In Other News: The Great Pyrenees Rescue Atlanta received $7,500 from Atlanta Track Club's Adopt A Marathon Mile Program, along with six other nonprofit organizations for their involvement in the 2011 Atlanta Marathon. The Atlanta Track Club awarded a total of $117,500 to 18 local nonprofit organizations that participated in the Adopt a Marathon Mile program, which took place during the Atlanta Marathon and Marathon Relay on Oct. 30 at Atlantic Station.
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