Groups join forces to build veteran’s home
NASH, Texas — Five months after two agencies partnered together for the first time to build a house for a military veteran, that veteran finally got to walk into his new home Friday.
“This is so awesome,” said 72-year-old Vietnam veteran David McGrew. “I don’t ever use the word awesome a lot — so this is very awesome
— thank you all very much. I think that Harvest Texarkana Food Bank put so much food in my new refrigerator and cabinets, I might have enough food for the rest of my life.”
For perhaps the first time in their history, the Habitat for HumanityTexarkana Office and the Mount Pleasant, Texas-base U.S. Department of Agriculture combined forces to help finance and build the home for McGrew — a 1,200-square-foot single-story, wood-frame structure in the 100 block of Weymeadow Drive in Nash.
Thanks to both organizations, as well as dozens of commercial contributors, suppliers and volunteers, McGrew now has a home closer to his church as well as to grocery stores, Habitat for Humanity Director Mary Wormington said.
“This is our very first veteran-built home and it took awhile to build because of the weather, but it’s given David a small step that will help him in life during his later years,” she said. “David is a disabled veteran, but he had a home church here and was looking for a home that would be closer to his church as well as out the more the rural areas.”
The home, which has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, several closets and a garage, is also Americans With Disabilities Act (of 1991) compliant, she said.
Some of the home gifts McGrew received include a photo album, tool kit, bread, wine, a Bible and, of course, keys to the house.
The Texarkana Rough Riders Motorcycle organization even presented McGrew with HarleyDavidson doormat.
“I know for sure this will come in handy,” said McGrew, an avid motorcycle rider.