CONTENTS Happy Birthday America! New Fundraising Idea. It's Easy and Free! Big Supporter News! Other News Articles  Meet Our Heroes Awards & Recognition Supporter of the Month Heartwarming Support from Young Americans New Online Store Items Lapel Pin Limted Edition Art by Artist Jane Strochsin Ways to Donate to Homes for Our Troops Join Operation Enduring Support NEW FUNDRAISING IDEA! We are excited to offer a new way to help raise funds for Homes for Our Troops! It's called Steps Towards Home Online Fundraising. Join the team! Start your own fundraising event through our website! It's easy and fun and free. To begin, click on the link below. Steps Toward Home - Hold an Online Fundraising Event  Walk, Bike, Run, Jump Rope or Read Books, ask family and friends to sponsor you by sending them email letters and let them help you reach your fundraising goal! It is free to become a team member and you will have access to your own Personal Web Page where you can: Upload images from your computer to tell your story. Write in your own words why you want to raise money for Homes for Our Troops Set a goal and send out personalized emails to friends and family asking them to help you reach your goal Track your progress of funds raised Send out Thank You emails and much more! Start Now! *If you are already a Steps Toward Home Fundraiser participant log into your Personal Page here. *If you would like to donate money to a Steps Toward Home particpant's fundraiser click here to find a participant and follow the instructions. Back to Top MEET JUST A COUPLE OF HEROES WHO ARE IN NEED OF YOUR HELP! Sgt Shawn Monroe Homes for Our Troops will be providing a home in the Santa Fe, TX area. Sgt Monroe was injured when mortar fire hit while he was waiting outside a Baghdad police station. He was studying to be a teacher. After being injured fighting the war in Iraq, he now has to learn something else…how to use his new leg. He took his first steps just two days before this picture was taken. "The doctor said the prosthetic will probably be my best leg," says Shawn. "I promise you I will run again. [Read more] SSG John Bennett, Charlie Company, 163rd Mechanized Infantry Unit, Montana, USANG, was shot in the stomach by a sniper and left paralyzed from the waist down. John, his wife and their four children are presently living in a very small house that requires that their children live in their basement, which sometimes leaks and becomes musty. John and his family, who have already sacrificed so much for this country, deserve much better living conditions than this. Homes for Our Troops will be building the Bennett's a new handicap accessible home. UPDATE: Groundbreaking ceremony held Monday July 10, 2006 at 11:00 am! [Read more]   Back to Top MONTHLY GIVING Please consider joining Operation Enduring Support. A monthly giving program designed to be easy for you to give on a regular basis using your credit card or checking account electronically. Click Here for more details. Join our monthly support program and receive: $10.00/ mo = HFOT bumper sticker $25.00/mo = HFOT Magnet Ribbon $50.00/mo= T-Shirt & bumper sticker $100.00/mo = All 3 items! 10,000 people x $1.00 = a kitchen 500 people x $10.00 = a heating system 1 person x $ 20.00 = a box of nails 100,000 monthly donors of $10.00 or more = America taking care of our disabled veterans! OTHER WAYS TO DONATE ONLINE Make an online donation right now. Use our secure online donation form to donate using your Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express or Checking Account. BY PHONE Call our office toll-free at 866-7-TROOPS to make a donation by phone.Office hours are 9 am to 5 pm EST Monday - Friday BY MAIL Print out the mail in donation form and mail it to our office at 1 Taunton Green, Taunton, MA 02780 SEND A GIVING CARD Browse our selection of Giving Cards now! We know finding just the right gift can be a challenge. Our new giving idea is perfect for the holidays, birthday or any day for that person that has everything or to honor or remember a loved one, a Homes for Our Troops Giving card is truly a meaningful gift. By honoring family or friends with a donation to Homes for Our Troops, you’ll know that it will be a perfect fit every time. Your gift will be used to help honor our American heroes, our severely disabled veterans who gave up so much to defend our country. Browse our selection of Giving Cards now! Create your own Tribute or Memorial web page to honor a loved one and in your own words, ask others for donations to Homes for Our Troops in honor of the person you choose. Easy to use! Start Now! DONATE LABOR OR MATERIALS Please enter your information into our services / labor / materials donations database. Enter all of your contact information as well as the type of donation you would like to make. We will keep you in our secure database and when we are in need of your specific donation in your area, we will contact you well in advance.  Back to Top NEW ONLINE STORE ITEMS Take a look at some of our new items in our online store! Lapel Pin - $3.00 each Limted Edition Art by Artist Jane Strochsin Signed and Numbered! Cardinal Loons on a Pond Monarch of the Marsh Deer Print	Dear Homes for Our Troops Supporter, Happy Birthday America! On July 4, 1776, we claimed our independence from Great Britain and our great Democracy was born. Every day thousands leave their homeland to come to the "land of the free and the home of the brave" so they can begin their American Dream. As supporters of Homes for Our Troops you are helping to provide the American Dream to our wounded American Heroes, our brave. And for that you should be very proud. Since breaking ground on our first home in December 2004, we have made great strides in helping our military families adjust to a new way of life as well as providing tangible opportunities for all Americans to support our troops. In just over two years, we have provided barrier-free adaptations and complete handicap accessible homes for many veterans and have over a dozen additional projects underway in cities and towns across the USA. Help comes from many sources, so the community benefits along with the veterans and their families! Community spirit thrives when Homes for Our Troops is in town! People put their differences aside, roll up their sleeves and work together to help our wounded American Heroes! PROJECT SUMMARIES AND UPDATES Here are just a few of our ongoing projects.  For a full list and more in depth information about all of our completed and current projects please click here to go to our website. 1. SPC Kyle Burleson was paralyzed from neck down. The Burlesons' expect to move into their new home in August 2006! Springhill, Louisiana. [Story and Photos] 2. HM3 Joe Dan Worley lost one leg, other leg severely damaged. Homes for our Troops has purchased a handicap accessible home and is now adding the finishing touches to the home for the Worley family. [Story and Photos] 3. Sgt. Jared Luce lost both legs and has a damaged left hand and left eye.  Homes for Our Troops is building a new home on his land in Connecticut.  The groundbreaking ceremony was held July 6, 2006! [Story and Photos] 4. Cpl. Brian Johnston lost his right leg and his right arm. We are reviewing whether to build a new home or purchase and adapt an existing home in Connecticut for Cpl. Johnston. [Story and Photos] 5. SPC James Benoit has severe injuries to the back of his body and is confined to a wheelchair.  His home town arranged for land on which we will build a new home in Wharton, New Jersey. [Story and Photos] 6. SSG John Bennett was paralyzed from the waist down - will be building new handicap accessible home on his land in Montana. The groundbreaking ceremony was held July 10, 2006 at building site! [Story and Photos] Back to Top AWARDS AND RECOGNITION While it is an honor just to be able to do the work we do and to be a part of the life of the incredible veterans we have served, the work of Homes for Our Troops continues to be recognized for the important work being done to help our wounded veterans. June 2006 - Daughters of the American Revolution 2006 Medal of Honor John Gonsalves, the founder and president of Homes for Our Troops, was honored to accept the Daughters of the American Revolution Medal of Honor on Friday, June 30, 2006 at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., for his work to build handicap accessible homes for wounded veterans at no cost to the veteran or his or her family. The DAR Medal of Honor, the group's most prestigious award, is given to an individual who has shown extraordinary qualities of leadership, trustworthiness, service and patriotism. Past recipients include Tom Brokaw, Rudolph Giuliani, Bob Dole and Claudia Taylor (Lady Bird) Johnson. [Read more]   BIG SUPPORTER NEWS! July4, 2006 - Phil Mickelson announces "Birdies for the Brave" campaign. We are excited to announce that PGA golfer Phil Mickelson is playing his 2006 season for Homes for Our Troops through his Birdies for the Brave program, and now you can join Phil in supporting our injured veterans, visit the official PGA site http://www.birdiesforthebrave.org/ [Read more]       Quote from Phil Mickelson - “I’m honored to be a part of PGA TOUR Charities’ Birdies for the Brave program,” said Mickelson. “Charity has always been an important part of the TOUR package but I don’t see this as charity. I see it as a salute to all the servicemen and women who have made and are still making such an enormous sacrifice for all of us.”     July 4, 2006 - PGA TOUR and TPCs raises more than $420,000 in 2005 for 'America Supports You' member Homes for Our Troops among other charities.  [Read more] View the list of charity golf tournaments being held at TPC's across America this year!     OTHER NEWS ARTICLES June 2006 - Two Wounded Veterans from Connecticut to Receive a Helping Hand from Homes for Our Troops Massachusetts based charity heads to Central Connecticut to promote community volunteerism and build handicap accessible homes for two severely wounded Marines. Doing the Right Thing. Homes for Our Troops remodels for veterans. May 2006 Professional Remodeler Magazine Article  NSPE Today 'As Good As We Can Make It' NSPE Legacy Project supports homes for disabled war veterans   Back to Top EVENTS TO BENEFIT HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS SAVE THE DATE! 3rd Annual Homes for Our Troops Motorcycle Ride on August 6th, 2006 Sponsored by Twin States Harley-Davidson and Texas Roadhouse Harley Raffle, Breakfast, BBQ, T-Shirt, Ride, and Concert all to benefit HFOT 3 Ways to Register! 1. Pre-Register for the ride today online!  2. Register at the Texas Roadhouse in Nashua on 8/6/06 from 7am to 10am, 480 Amherst Street (New Target Plaza), Nashua NH 3. NEW SITE ADDED~ Register at the Texas Roadhouse on 8/6/06 in Everett 7-10 am, 31 Mystic View Parkway (Home Depot Plaza) Everett, MA HARLEY-DAVIDSON RAFFLE! Buy a raffle ticket for the 2006 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy with custom military paint job and accessories!  - 1/500 Chance to win! $100 each - Buy One Now! Winner to be drawn at the Homes for Our Troops charity ride on August 6th in Lebanon, NH! See more images of this bike!  Winner to be drawn at the Homes for Our Troops charity ride on August 6th in Lebanon, NH! See the actual bike! This custom Harley will be on display at Texas Roadhouse in Brockton, MA on July 23rd Texas Roadhouse in Everett, MA on July 29th (IMAGE OF ACTUAL BIKE!)     July 4, 2006 - PGA TOUR and TPCs raise more than $420,000 for 'America Supports You' member Homes for Our Troops among other charities.  [Read more] List of TPC tournaments coming up in August. August 7, 2006 Southwind TPC 3325 Club At Southwind Memphis, TN 38125 Afternoon Shotgun & Labor Day Weekend host a Tennis Fundraiser August 7, 2006 Wakefield Plantation TPC 2201 Wakefield Plantation Dr. Raleigh, NC 27614 18 Hole Scramble August 8, 2006 Michingan TPC One Nicklaus Dr. Dearborn, MI 48120 Golf Tournament w/lunch & recept. @ play August 15, 2006 Canyons TPC 9851 Canyon Run Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89144 AM Shotgun at Canyons & PM shotgun @ Summerlin August 15, 2006 Summerlin TPC 1700 Village Center Las Vegas, NV 89134 See Canyons August 16, 2006 Deere Run TPC 3100 Heather Knoll Silvis, IL 61282 Double shotgun 7:30 & 1:30 Lunch 11-2 August 21, 2006 Sugarloaf TPC 2595 Sugarloaf Club Dr. Duluth, GA 30097 4 person Member Guest (1 member & 3 guests) August 23, 2006 Virginia Beach TPC 2500 Tournament Dr. Virginia Beach, VA 23456 Double Shotgun Tourn 8:00 & 2:00, raffles and auctions August 12, 2006 FARMINGTON, MI HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS FUNDRAISER ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 12 AT 2P.M. AT VLADIMIRS IN FARMINGTON, MICHIGAN (8 MILE & GRAND RIVER). QUESTIONS OR IDEAS ON OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT THIS EVENT OR THE ORGANIZATION CAN BE ANSWERED BY CONTACTING MICHIGAN HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS FUNDRAISER LEADERS: DAN HIGGINS (248) 473-0271 KIM JASKE (248) 231-3911 EMAIL: MICHIGANHFOT@AOL.COM  OUR YOUNG SUPPORTERS We have experienced support from many people and have learned that Great Americans can be of any age! Visit our website for kids! http://www.kidsforourtroops.org/ Six 5th grade students at PS175 Queens in Rego Park , NY created a web site that provides a wealth of information about our armed services and shares their stories about the veterans they met while creating this web site. http://www.tqnyc.org/NYC063056 Dear Hero Letters The kids also decided to have a book sale on February 13th. The whole school contributed used books that they had laying around the house. Every class had a chance to purchase books. Each book cost $1.00. When the used book sale was finally finished, we collected all the money made and donated half to the Joseph P. Seluga Garden, and half to Homes for Our Troops.   SUPPORTER OF THE MONTH We will be highlighting in our e-newsletter special companies, groups or individuals from around the country who have gone the extra mile to help raise funds for Homes for Our Troops. June - West Shore Middle School of Milford, CT social studies teacher Thomas Acri and one of his eighth grade classes sponsored a dinner/raffle fund-raiser for Homes For Our Troops. Thomas Acri chose one of his eighth-grade classes to host the dinner/raffle, who organized the event from sending out letters to setting up tables and chairs to assisting in getting food for diners who needed it, including many veterans. Over 100 people attended the fund-raiser! "It's shocking that he picked our class," said eighth-grader Matt Boyle. "He only picks one per year for events like this." "We put a lot of effort into this," said classmate John James. "The veterans look happy." In addition to the event, each student in the class was also responsible for creating a project display pertaining to some aspect of history. The fundraiser raised over $2,000 to help Homes for Our Troops build handicap accessible homes for severely wounded veterans. Thank you!   Please make a much needed donation today! We offer many different ways for your to donate to help our mission of building and remodeling homes for handicap accessibility for our most severely wounded veterans. Thank you!   Back to Top