News & Events
Wounded veterans' housing gets a boost from Operation Forever Free playhouse raffle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alvin J. Jackson, Jr.
Director of Marketing and Sales
alvin@centurionamerican.com
Cheldan Homes' playhouse benefits wounded Iraqi vets
Centurion American's Operation Forever Free adds raffle dollars to benefit
(Fort Worth, TX - Feb. 11, 2008) - A four-year-old North Texas girl and her two-year-old brother were the proud recipients of a brand-new playhouse their mother won in a recent raffle.
The playhouse - lovingly referred to as the smallest and most affordable house ever built by Fort Worth-based builder Cheldan Homes - is a 36-square-foot one-story Cape Cod design with a front porch and working windows and doors, says Cheldan President/CEO Joey Goss.
Wounded veterans returning from the Iraqi War are candidates to receive assistance through the children's playhouse project engineered by the D/FW developer and Mr. Goss' company.
Operation Forever Free (OFF), a visionary program to help returning veterans with housing and transportation, is the brainchild of Centurion American Development's Assistant Vice President/CFO, Brad Biber and founder/CEO Mehrdad Moayedi.
Cheldan Homes agreed to build the company's smallest-ever home and H D & Son House Moving of Fort Worth agreed to deliver the little home as part of a fund-raising program for Operation Forever Free. Proceeds from raffle tickets are used by Operation Forever Free for a wide range of products and services needed by injured veterans.
In late January, the winning raffle ticket was drawn, and Ally Ramsey, four-year-old daughter of James and Michelle Ramsey of Colleyville, became the excited owner of a new home - probably the youngest consumer Cheldan Homes has ever turned into a homeowner.
Ms. Ramsey, a national sales executive with Clear Channel Outdoor, purchased the ticket from fellow employee Jeff Daniel through Centurion American.
"Most of the homes we build range from about 1,800 to 3,000 square feet," says Mr. Goss. "The playhouse is a bit smaller, but we hope that small space and the funds it raised will have a much bigger impact than even we can imagine."
Officials from Cheldan Homes and Operation Forever Free formally presented the playhouse to the Ramsey family Feb. 6, at Sendera Ranch in northern Tarrant County. The community is Another Quality Development by Centurion American where Cheldan is a major builder partner.
"Cheldan Homes donated the architectural plan, the construction work and the finish out for this terrific project," says Mr. Biber. "We've partnered with them in many successful residential programs in communities throughout the metroplex, so working with them on this great charity program was a natural."
Funds from the playhouse raffle will be used to provide home retrofitting and new homes for veterans and their families, and for special transportation needs for disabled vets, Mr. Biber says.
"Thousands of troops are coming back from the Middle East, and many need help as they adjust to life with disabilities at home and within the community," adds Mr. Moayedi. "Operation Forever Free is dedicated to making that transition as comfortable as possible."
Since 2005, Operation Forever Free has raised more than $200,000 to help wounded veterans. So far, its biggest project was construction of a new, accessible home for a critically wounded Iraqi veteran, drew attention in 2005.
Air Force Sgt. Charles "Eric" Richardson, a Dallas Police Department officer, was called to duty after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on America. While serving with the 610th Security Forces in Iraq, he suffered permanent, critical nerve damage to his feet and legs in an explosion in the field.
"The team at Operation Forever Free stepped in and constructed a new home for the Richardson family in Saginaw, Texas," says Mr. Biber. "Partners in that project included vendors and sub-contractors with whom we regularly work. More than 50 volunteered elements of the home, labor and other services to help the Richardson family."
In April Operation Forever Free will hold their 3rd Annual golf tournament at The Resort Golf Club which is located at The Resort at Eagle Mountain Lake community.
In April Operation Forever Free will hold their 3rd Annual golf tournament at The Resort Golf Club which is located at The Resort at Eagle Mountain Lake community. (theresortoneaglemt.com)
For more information on Operation Forever Free, contact Mr. Biber at
817-391-2500 or visit www.operationforeverfree.org
Contact Information:
Brad Biber, 817-391-2525, Assistant Vice President/CFO Centurion American Development, Executive Officer, Operation Forever Freedom, brad@centurionamerican.com
|
Our Families |
| Learn about the families Operation Forever Free has helped. We are happy to give back to those who have given so much for our freedom! Click here to read more... |
Operation Forever Free
1221 N-IH 35E
Carrollton, TX 75006
Phone: 469-892-7200
If you or someone you know could use assistance from our organization, please submit a small bio on the family and their specific needs to Vicky Field at agentvf@gmail.com
|
|
