This post is sponsored by The Home Depot….
You know those once and a life time opportunities that come your way? The ones that truly change your life? I had one of those moments, last year. A day that reminded me how grateful I am for the freedom I cherish as an American, and the sacrifice of others to maintain that freedom. This time last year, I spent the day with this lovely couple, Chris and Larissa.
Chris is veteran of the Iraq War. In 2009 Chris’s vehicle was struck by an IED causing him to suffer head and and leg injuries. Those injured himself, Chris pulled several of his fellow soldier’s to safety, called in medical support and maintained security unit help arrived. It was this action that earned him his first Purple Heart. When he returned to the states, Chris married his longtime sweetheart, Larissa and then after recovering, was deployed again to Iraq.
In 20ll while serving as a machine gunner, his vehicle was AGAIN struck, this time by an EFP. Chris suffered a severely fractured skull, neck and spine injuries and the impact stopped his breathing for an hours, resulting in anoxia brain injury. Chris earned his second Purple Heart.
I spent the day with Chris and Larissa, and a wonderful group of volunteers from The Home Depot who took time on their day off to help refurbish Chris and Larissa’s home.
Once again, this year, as part of the Home Depot’s fifth annual Celebration of Service campaign, Team Depot, an associate-led volunteer force will spend two months (between 9/10 and Veteran’s Day) working on transformational safety and accessibility upgrades for our nation’s veterans. I feel so blessed to have an opportunity to participate in another Celebration of Service Project, on Veteran’s Day!
Would you like to know how you can help as well? I want to invite you to join The Home Depot Foundation, and myself, in showing how you celebrate service! Share a photo of yourself giving back in your community or honoring a screen man or woman on Twitter or Instagram and use the hashtag #ServiceSelfie!
Here’s mine from last year’s Celebration of Service project!
For each #ServiceSelfie shared during Celebration of Service, The Home Depot Foundation will donate $1, up to ONE MILLION DOLLARS, to nonprofits that help veterans in need! Be sure to follow Team Depot on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see others sharing their #ServiceSelfie.
For each #ServiceSelfie shared during Celebration of Service, The Home Depot Foundation will donate $1, up to ONE MILLION DOLLARS, to nonprofits that help veterans in need! Be sure to follow Team Depot on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see others sharing their #ServiceSelfie. Additionally, check out Team Depot on Facebook every Monday between now and Veterans Day. Every share, like or comment on Team Depot’s Monday post highlighting one of our nine nonprofits partners will result in an additional $1 (up to $1M) donation.
Be sure to tag us in your #ServiceSelfie shares so we can see them and I want to invite you to follow along with me as I create several fun projects for Celebration of Service! I’ll be sharing full tutorials on the blog, so you can recreate them for yourself! I’ll also be recapping my day of service, and I can’t wait to share the story of how Team Depot made a difference in the lives or our greatest heroes!
See you back here soon!
I work at one of The Home Depot stores in Sonoma County, CA. On 9/11 of this year, I, too, had the privilege of helping Team Depot upgrade the home of a veteran and his wife. We had volunteers from stores all over the San Francisco North Bay Area. I can’t wait for the next event.
That’s just so awesome. Thank you so much for all your hard work to help so many.
Without our brave we would not be free.
God bless!
And God bless America!