A safe place to call home
Apr. 28—Huntsville High School IHHS) students have been working all school year to build "Homes for Huntsville Heroes" — a Tiny Home Community Project.
The build is part of Operation Finally Home, with HHS construction technology students have been building for veterans through a collaborative partnership between Huntsville ISD Career and Technical Education, Operation Finally Home, Lowe's Home Improvement, and the HEARTS Veterans Museum of Texas.
The students are members of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program at HHS, with students and teachers building transitional housing for military veterans, which will be moved to Ten Mile Ranch.
The tiny house dedication ceremony is scheduled from 9 to 10 a.m. Friday, April 28, in the back parking lot of HHS behind the main campus.
Kevin DeSilva, Construction Technology teacher, said there were 10 students working on each tiny home.
"The students do all the work and separate into teams and trades on their own. I simply guide them and teach when needed," DeSilva said. "It's been a long, three year process and I'm glad the first phase is coming to a close."
De Silva said the kids are super excited about it and can not wait to meet the veterans who will move into the homes they built.
Ten Mile Ranch is owned by Roger and Tara Burnett. The Burnett's purchased the ranch in 2002, and became the home of the couple, their five children and grandchildren. The couple established FOB Ten Mile as a way to serve and provide safe housing for the nation's veterans.
This will be the second and their homes to be placed at the ranch, as FOB Ten Mile is a charity the Burnetts established. The first tiny home was dedicated on Sept. 24, for Ret. U.S. Army Captain Billy Joe (B.J.) Shotwell.
"Mr. Dasilva and his students have been working diligently over the last two years to build these tiny homes for our deserving local veterans," said Ryann Kaaa-Bauer, CTE Department Chair and Criminal Justice teacher. "Every day you can see the students out there passionately working and taking into consideration all the accommodations that the veteran will need. Mr. Dasilva has done not only an astounding job in teaching the students the skills to be able to build these homes, but to instill to the students the impact that these homes will have for the veterans. They are not just making homes, but they are making shelters to protect our veterans who have laid their lives on the line to protect us."
Operation Finally Home is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization with a mission to provide custom-built, mortgage free homes, transitional housing and home modifications for veterans, first responders and their families. Based in New Braunfels, the organization has completed or is in planning on more than 430 home projects in more than 32 states. Operation Finally Home, established in 2005, partners with corporate sponsors, builder associations, builders, remodelers, developers, individual contributors and volunteers to help heroes and their families by addressing one of their most pressing needs — a safe place to call home.
