(Originally Published Thursday, December 29, 2011 – Blogger: One Daughter’s Point of View)
Today I heard an inspirational story on the morning news about two soldiers with the N.C. National Guard and an organization called Purple Heart Homes. These guys, after overcoming serious injuries came home to found an organization to help other soldiers in need.
Purple Heart Homes, Inc. is a veteran owned and operated not-for-profit organization founded by Dale Beatty and John Gallina. Both joined the N.C. National Guard in 2008 and both were seriously injured in 2004 when their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2004. Beatty lost both legs while Gallina suffered back and head injuries. But today, they’re still unstoppable forces, fighting to improve the quality of life for other purple heart veterans.
The mission statement for Purple Heart Homes is simply stated as follows:
“Purple Heart Homes, Inc. is dedicated to providing personalized housing solutions for Service Connected Disabled Veterans and their families that are substantial in function, design and quality—homes that are fit to welcome home, and thank, the fighting men and women of America. Each case is different, but in all cases Purple Heart Homes provides at little or no cost to the veteran a “quality of life solution” that creates an injury specific, barrier free-living environment. These solutions can range from remodeling an existing home already owned by the veteran, to creating an entire living space from the ground up.”
This organization also seeks to address housing related needs for soldiers not just returning from a current war, but also those from past wars. They recognize that the needs can change over time, as injuries and bodies age. Or, perhaps it’s as simple as to help pay for heating expenses for a soldier who depends on his wife for constant care and therefore neither can sustain a job outside the home.
It’s easy to call Dale Beatty and John Gallina heroes for what they’ve done both on and off the battlefield. What an inspiration these two veteran are.
To learn more about Purple Heart Homes, check out their website: http://www.purplehearthomesusa.org/index.htm.
A Robynn’s Chirps 