St. Louis, Mo.—The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) has provided flooring for its 67th home in support of the Gary Sinise Foundation R.I.S.E. program (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment). The R.I.S.E. program builds mortgage-free, custom, specially adapted smart homes for severely wounded veterans and first responders. The home dedication for United States Army First Sergeant (Ret.) John Borders took place on May 4, in Brooksville, Fla. Flooring for the project was donated by NWFA member AHF Products.
After a year-long tour of duty in Iraq, and just six months before he was scheduled to return home, First Sergeant Anderson was participating in a routine convoy when his Humvee was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED). He was critically injured, resulting in the loss of his left leg and the partial loss of his right leg.
“First Sergeant Borders was scheduled for surgeries every other day for several months, enduring more than 55 during his recovery,” said NWFA president and CEO, Michael Martin. “After more than three years, he completed his medical evaluation and returned to active duty as a counterintelligence special agent. He was deployed five times, serving his last tour in Afghanistan with his new leg and served more than 27 years in the Army, 12 of which he served as a handicapable individual. We’re honored to partner with AHF to provide beautiful wood floors for his new home.”
In addition to the 67 homes already completed, NWFA currently is working with its members to source wood flooring for 18 additional R.I.S.E. homes in various stages of planning and construction. Currently, 148 NWFA member companies have donated product, logistics and installation services in locations throughout the United States, with a total value of more than $5.7 million. A list of all NWFA R.I.S.E. participating companies can be found here.