B.C. project an oasis for injured vets and families
Honour House reflects nation’s ‘patriotism’
It took a gut-wrenching TV appearance by the wife of an Afghan war veteran to call attention to the plight of the families of wounded Canadian soldiers.
Vancouver realtor Allan De Genova says the story of Capt. Trevor Greene and his wife, Debbie, was too heart-rending to ignore.
Greene was meeting with Afghan elders in Shinkay district in 2006, trying to build peaceful connections, when he removed his helmet as a show of respect. He was then hit in the head with an axe by a teenager. Despite suffering “severe” brain injury, he is currently recovering in Nanaimo, B.C.
“We were lying on the couch watching TV when Debbie appeared on the screen,” said De Genova, 54. “She had no place to stay while (Trevor) was being treated in Vancouver. My wife turned to me and said, ‘We’ve got to do something.’ ”
The result is Honour House, a home away from home for veterans and their families.
Situated on quiet St. George St. in New Westminster, B.C., the aging mansion overlooking the Fraser River was rebuilt at a cost of $4.8 million ($2.2 million was donated and $2.6 million is still owing).
Ten bedrooms are arranged around a central core, each with its own fully accessible bathroom.
On the main floor, several well-appointed lounges offer quiet spaces where families can gather.
Interior colours are soft greys and browns, reflecting the peace and security being sought.
“Smells, sights and sounds can set guys off,” says full-time house manager Al Featherstonaugh.
Housekeepers come in biweekly and a service is contracted to wash the bedding.
Vets buy their own food and cook for themselves in a fully accessible kitchen.
House treasurer John Appleby says the need is great.
“Soldiers going into hospital leave behind uncertain wives and frightened children,” says Appleby, a retired lieutenant-colonel.
“Honour House was designed to help.”
Everything was done on a first-class basis, from the comfy living room chairs to the thick white towels.
“We didn’t go cheap,” Featherstonaugh says.
The bill would have been $1 million more but for the unpaid work of many.
Featherstonaugh says De Genova made the call for help pretty directly.
“He told people that their country needed them,” he says.
The B.C. government holds a $2-million mortgage that Honour House intends to pay off by private means. New Westminster council rezoned the property and waived basic property taxes.
The Vancouver Regional Construction Association provided hundreds of thousands in cash and free services.
“All the major consulting guys did it for free,” De Genova says.
A local elementary school donated $500 and people showed up at the door with handmade quilts.
Ron Cundell, 49, a Gulf War veteran who runs a website called Veteran voice. info in Ontario, believes Canadians who donated were showing their love of country.
“It’s patriotism,” he says. “It started with the Olympic Games in Vancouver when people weren’t afraid to wave the flag.”
Although Honour House, which opened on Sept. 1, has hosted just one Afghan veteran so far, many more are expected.
It currently hosts a regular meeting of vets with post-traumatic stress disorder. As well, police, fire and first responders’ kin are also eligible to use the facilities.
Master Seaman William Dennis, 38, of Victoria is not an Afghan vet, but stayed at the house when his wife became seriously ill with leukemia last fall.
“It’s amazing how comfortable things are. I feel more at ease, more focused on making sure my wife’s OK,” says Dennis, who was being deployed on HMCS Vancouver at the time. “It’s so nice to see how much people appreciate what we do.”
De Genova’s challenge isn’t finished yet. He still needs about $200,000 annually to run the house’s state-of-the-art systems and he plans to pay off debts within three years. For more information and how to donate, visit the website honourhouse.ca.
“I feel very special to be a part of this. I call it the Miracle on St. George’s,” he says.