U.S. Army Specialist Daniel Dumas was handed the keys to his new mortgage-free home during an Operation FINALLY HOME dedication ceremony held May 24 in Little Elm.
The ceremony marked the 145th home dedication for deserving veterans through the Operation FINALLY HOME program. The home — the Plantation Homes’ Kilgore II design — was the third McGuyer Homebuilders Inc., (MHI), has built for the organization.
“These brave soldiers have given so much for our country and way of life,” said MHI President Gary Tesch, who spoke during the ceremony. “This is our way of giving back to enhance their way of life, now that they are home.”
Also attending the ceremony was Hillwood Communities President Fred Balda. Hillwood Communities donated a homesite in its Union Park development for the project, and 20+ vendors and trades donated time and material. Take a peak at the dedication video.
Plantation Homes broke ground on the home Jan. 27, adjusting the four-bedroom floor plan to accommodate Dumas’ combat-related ailments. In April, the public was invited to write “Notes of Love” on the studs of the home before drywall was installed.
Little Elm Mayor David Hillock wrote, “Welcome to Little Elm. I appreciate your service and look forward to returning the favor.” Another person welcomed the Dumas family saying, “May God bless your family and your home.”
Dumas joined the Army in 2009 as a medic. An incident involving the Afghan National Army occurred a few months later, leaving Dumas with PTSD, a sensitivity to loud noises and other traumatic injuries.
He was discharged honorably in 2014 after receiving many commendations including the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Combat Medical Badge and several other awards.
Operation FINALLY HOME was established in 2005 with a mission of providing custom-built, mortgage-free homes to military heroes and the widows of the fallen.
The organization partners with corporate sponsors, builder associations, builders, developers, individual contributors and volunteers to help military heroes and their families address one of their most pressing needs -- a home to call their own.
Operation FINALLY HOME has more than 200 homes in 33 states that have either been completed, are under construction or are currently in the planning stage. For more information about Operation FINALLY HOME, visit www.operationfinallyhome.org.
Plantation Homes builds in Dallas and Houston, garnering a number of state and national product design awards along the way. In addition to Union Park, the builder is active in 16 Dallas-area communities. For more information, visit www.plantationhomes.com.
About Plantation Homes
Plantation Homes is part of a group of companies including Coventry Homes and McGuyer Homebuilders, Inc. With a 30-year history in Texas, Plantation Homes currently builds in the state’s largest markets, including Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth. The builder has won numerous awards for its innovative product design, including local, state and national honors. For more information, visit www.plantationhomes.com.
About McGuyer Homebuilders, Inc.
Since its inception in 1988, McGuyer Homebuilders exceeds customers’ expectations through quality service, construction, and value. McGuyer Homebuilders offers its award-winning designs under its signature brands – Plantation Homes, Coventry Homes and Wilshire Homes in five markets across Texas. Celebrating 30 years as a Texas homebuilder, McGuyer Homebuilders builds thousands of homes annually and is honored as one of the top 30 homebuilding firms in the nation. For more information, visit www.mcguyerhomebuilders.com.