Details on the Build Brigade for Sgt. Kenny Lyon!!

Homes for Our Troops & Atlantic Builders invite you to celebrate the Kick- Off of the 100th specially adapted home in Fredericksburg, VA for severely injured Marine Sgt. Kenny Lyon.

Join us as we celebrate this remarkable milestone in the history of the Homes for Our Troops organization!  Starting April 1, 2011 at 8:30 am, an army of volunteers will work tirelessly to give back freedom and independence to Sgt. Kenny Lyon through the gift of a specially adapted home built in just 7 days!



Join us for one or both of the build events!

The Build Brigade Kick-off Ceremony - Friday, April 1, 2011 at 8:30 a.m. running all week long and witness the power of community!

The Key Ceremony - Saturday, April 9, 2011 at 11 am as we officially donate the home to Sgt Lyon.

Build Location - 10 Crowncrest Rd., Fredericksburg, VA 22406



Friday, April 1st - Escort and Opening Ceremony - 8:30am

The escort will begin at the Wal-Mart and bring Sgt Kenny Lyon and his family to the build site.  From there we will have an opening ceremony and raise the first wall!

We will be working onsite around the clock.

Saturday, April 2nd - We will be working onsite around the clock

Sunday, April 3rd - We will be working onsite around the clock
 

Please join us each day for our Lunchtime Auction & chance to win our 50/50 Raffle! Buy your tickets for the 50/50 raffles at the Build site!



Needs - Some items we could always use are; papertowels, hand sanitizers, trash bags and snacks etc... 

Parking - Because of  limited parking on Crowncrest Rd for Sgt Lyon's Build Brigade and the many volunteers that will arrive for his ceremony. We will utilize the next street over (Boxwood Dr) for parking, there is a path that connects the two roads. Parking volunteers will be in place to show you the way.

Registration - Whether you have been in touch with HFOT and have been assigned a task or just showing up that day, you are required to sign a waiver at the Registration Table.  There you will receive a HFOT Build Brigade T shirt that you MUST wear on site. If you are scheduled to work at the Registration Table, you may be helping with... Parking, Volunteer Check in, Build Brigade T shirts, Hard Hats or HFOT Gear table.

Volunteering - We welcome ALL volunteers to the Build Brigade. If you have signed up to volunteer and have not heard back from a HFOT rep, please come out and join us! Pitch in where you can on the build site!

Children - Children under 16 are NOT allowed on site without an adult.  If you are volunteering and bringing younger children, please do NOT allow them near the actual home building.  There will be a food tent area that is safe from construction activities.

 

Can't donate your time or materials but want to donate funds to support this build?
Mail it to:
Homes for Our Troops
C/O lyon Project
6 Main Street
Taunton, MA 02780

 
If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact Doreen Lewis at dlewis@homesforourtroops.org 

Tommy Seal Returns to Atlantic Builders

“You always know when Tommy’s here,” says Dawn Settle about Atlantic Builders’ latest “boomerang” team member, Tommy Seal. Tommy, whose warmth and humor are always in abundance, rejoins us as a project manager building in all our Spotsylvania County communities.

Tommy has worked for over 26 years in the construction industry. Earlier in his career, he was a lead trim carpenter, and installed intricate, detailed exterior and interior trim in the UVA Law School and in a County Courthouse in Virginia. He reminisced that behind the beautiful judge’s bench that he created, he had to install bulletproof glass. Earlier Tommy served in the Army for three years as an E4 Specialist and Cavalry Scout. Before that, he grew up in Hawaii and enthuses that “I love to surf”.

Tommy is known for his customer service as well as the quality of the homes that he has supervised. Working with a recent homebuyer who was “stone-faced”, Tommy told her laughingly that he would get her to smile before the walk-through was completed. “And she did”, he was pleased to report.

“It is great to have Tommy back. His booming, infectious voice resonates throughout a home under construction or our office, making everyone feel good,” notes Gene Brown, Atlantic Builders’ Vice President of Productions and Quality Assurance.

Tommy puts that voice to good use in his free time, when he is the lead singer and rhythm guitar player of his band “Full Throttle”, a country and Southern rock group. Tommy has written 50 songs and enjoys “the notoriety, acclaim, and popularity you get on stage being the center of attention.” Go to Facebook and listen to the song “In my dreams” that Tommy wrote and performed with his last band.

Adam M. Fried

Welcoming Back Jim Harrover!

We welcome Jim Harrover back to Atlantic Builders as a full time team member. Jim has been with Atlantic for 9 years and has recently been working with us on a contract basis. With the rebound in the economy and home sales in the Fredericksburg area, it is great to have Jim back full time.

Jim acts as warranty manager. He helps with quality inspections, pre-settlement demonstrations, and punch out of new homes and for occupied homes. His personable nature makes everyone, especially homeowners, like him. "I meet homeowners with a smile, treat them honestly, and let them know I am here to help them anyway I can," notes Jim.

Here’s what some of our homeowners have said about Jim:

"I just want to let you know how pleased I have been with the services provided by Jim Harrover... Jim has been very responsive and has gone beyond what I could have ever expected. As a result I have put in a good word to a friend at Mary Washington Hospital."
-- Frank Gibbs

"Mr. Jim Harrover (has) worked on numerous warranty issues (and his) work has been nothing short of phenomenal. In addition to (his) world-class performance (his) motivation and professionalism... has been second to none...period."
-- Mohammed A. Khan, Jr., Colonel, USAF

Jim has spent 22 years in the construction industry after spending over 20 years in the general aviation field. Jim Harrover was awarded the Purple Heart as a helicopter crew chief. He served as an E4 for two years, and in one tour in Vietnam where his helicopter was shot down three times. Jim grew up in Lorton, VA.

Jim can fix anything and has a garage stocked with every tool imaginable. His garage – and home – are in Fairview Beach where he lives with his wife Janet. Jim enjoys boating on the Potomac River, and bait and bottom fishing by the channel markers. He likes socializing in the friendly atmosphere of Fairview Beach, and he and his wife enjoy wine tastings at Ingleside Winery in nearby Westmoreland County.


Adam M. Fried

Why Are Chinese Mothers Superior?

If you want to be challenged about your parenting style and how you raise your children, then check out an article in the Jan. 8/9 Wall Street Journal: “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior”. The article was written by Yale University law school professor Amy Chua and is her take on why so many Chinese and other immigrant parents seem able to raise academically advanced children.

Some things she never allowed her daughters to do:
- Attend a sleepover or playdate
- Watch TV or play computer games
- Get any grade less than an A
- Play any instrument other than the piano or violin
- Not play the piano or violin

Chua notes, “What Chinese parents understand is that nothing is fun until you’re good at it. To get good at anything you have to work, and children on their own never want to work, which is why it is crucial to override their preferences. This often requires fortitude on the part of the parents because the child will resist”.

While Chua’s admitted behavior toward her daughters is a little scary (Chua threatened to take her 7 year old daughter’s doll house to the Salvation Army and to withhold food for the rest of the day for refusing to continue practicing the piano), but she claims her girls have good self-images because once they master things, they become happy.

The WSJ essay is excerpted from her book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” and was published 1/11/11. Chua answered questions Thursday 1/13/11 on the WSJ blog: blogs.wsj.com/ideas-market.

Taking Inspiration from The Special Olympics

My brother Jon Fried was born mentally handicapped. When he was a baby, the doctors advised my parents that he would never walk or talk. They were wrong. Now he is almost 50 and continues to win the Gold Medal in Tennis in the International Special Olympics. He plays at a very high level.

Please click on the link (http://www2.dailyprogress.com/sports/2011/jan/13/fried-set-special-olympics-tennis-tourney-ar-771174/) to see an article about him and the Special Olympics tennis tournament he will help host this weekend. I hope you are inspired to help out Special Olympics.

- Adam Fried

2010 Was A Year To Celebrate!

As Atlantic Builders wraps up 2010, we have much to celebrate for the year. We have exceeded our goals and have done it with the addition of excellent employees to round out our team. We have many wonderful and delighted customers celebrating the New Year in their new homes. Our trade partners have been very instrumental in working with us to deliver top quality homes at the best possible price. A win for everyone.

One of our proudest accomplishments this year was partnering with Homes for Our Troops and the community to deliver a specially adapted home to our friend and hero, Sgt. Steven Kiernan.

Through working with Homes for Our Troops, we discovered the art of Sgt. Peter Damon, whose painting ‘Summer Sidewalk’ now adorns the entry wall in our office foyer.




Our team has much to be proud of this year, and we look toward 2011 with much joy and hope. And of course the excitement of building two more homes for our wounded veterans.

We wish everyone a wonderful holiday season!

Atlantic Builders Charity Contest Winners

Congratulations to Janis Snider of Fredericksburg, VA & Lisa Moore Gee of Seattle, WA who have been chosen out of all the entries in our December contest. Janis & Lisa will both receive a $100 Visa gift card and we will be writing a check to their charities.

We have posted the winning entries below and would like to thank all of those who participated!

Janis Snider, Fredericksburg VA., writes....My favorite charity is Micah Ministries. It’s a local organization which involves several churches in the downtown area but which encompasses many people of varied political beliefs, numerous religious affiliations, and differing walks of life. It’s a group of people who are striving to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly....I am involved with Micah Ministries via several directions:  I volunteer as a cook and bottle washer in the preparation of breakfast meals for the homeless at the Micah facility on Princess Anne Street, next to Fredericksburg Baptist Church.   I also prepare meals for the Micah Respite House, a residential "home" where homeless people can recuperate from serious health issues.  I give of my time.  I also contribute monetary gifts, material goods, and prayer support for this very worthy endeavor.  Perhaps the greatest reason for my interest in Micah Ministries stems from the concern of the people who are served by Micah Ministries:   They are our neighbors, friends, loved ones, and relatives who need a helping hand.  I also greatly admire the staff of Micah Ministries:  They all repeatedly prove their love and compassion for those they serve.      

Lisa Moore Gee, Seattle WA., writes....One way I like to give back is via the Ronald McDonald House, specifically my local one in Seattle,WA.  Since I was a young child this has been a charity close to my heart. My grandma donated to them, usually a substantial donation which would go to a family.  There was one family with a young boy who was ill and they wrote back to my grandma and thanked her for her donation.  The family corresponded with my grandma for years, even after their son lost his battle with his disease.  To my grandma it was just an act of kindness. To this family it meant their child could be treated and they wouldn't have to stress about where the money came from.  My grandma also sent cards for birthdays, Christmas and other holidays.  Just like she would for all of her grandkids, she would stick $5 or so in the cards so the boy would have something for himself as well.  The family told her that he really appreciated this and by sharing the letters and pictures with me, my grandma taught me the importance of giving back.  She also would put the change in the box in front of the register after every order at McDonalds.  This is something I have carried on in my adulthood, and am teaching to my children.  It's just pocket change, or what’s left after placing an order.  But it adds up and it goes to someone who could really use it.  I also recently made a donation of $100 to the Seattle area Ronald McDonald House and look forward to helping to make small changes in the life of others.

We would like to wish every one a safe and happy holiday!