Editor
Carpetland Carpet in Milford received a piece of steel from the World Trade Center in appreciation for what Carpet One Floor and Home does to help build homes for catastrophically injured soldiers.
Ralph Tufano, a retired lieutenant with the Fire Department of New York, came to deliver the steel on June 24. Carpetland is part of Carpet One, which along with Mohawk Flooring, has provided flooring materials and installation for 46 Smart Homes, according to a press release.
“It’s a wonderful cause to be involved with,” said Ken Weisbacher, Carpetland Carpet One President.
The homes Building for America’s Bravest build are Smart Homes and are built to the specific needs of the service member. Smart Homes can have many features, such as automated doors and lighting, wider doors and special showers, cabinets and counters that can be raised and lowered and heating and air conditioning systems that be controlled with an iPad, according to the website.
The first surviving quadruple amputee in military history was Brendan Marracco, and he had the first home built for him as part of the campaign in 2011. After his home was built, Building for America’s Bravest decided to continue to give back to building homes for amputees, Tufano said.
So far, Building for America’s Bravest Campaign has raised enough money to build 28 smart homes with more in the works. They have pledged to build 200 more, Tufano said.
The homes are being built all across the county. Building for America’s Bravest hopes to provide a quality of life for these amputees, Tufano said.
Carpet One and Mohawk Flooring are supplying flooring for free for every home. Each of their customers are asked if they would like to add $10 to their purchase for the campaign, Tufano said.
If only half of their customers say yes, the businesses will raise $4 million, Tufano said. The average home costs about $500,000, but the price depends a lot on property costs.
“I’ve met the men that we build them for and their spirit is just so amazing. You can’t imagine how these guys get up and go about their life everyday and yet they do just like you and I, but they couldn’t function without the help of Building for America’s Bravest, so to be a part of that program, it just feels really good to give back a little bit,” Weisbacher said.
Building for America’s Bravest is a program of the Stephen Siller Tunnel to the Towers Foundation, in honor to Stephen Siller, a firefighter who ran from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center site with 60 pounds of gear to help on September 11, 2001. He died serving.