A New Specially Adapted Forever Home In His Hometown For This Severely Injured Veteran

Since 2004, Homes For Our Troops has been building specially adapted, mortgage-free homes for post 9/11 Veterans who have sustained extreme injuries such as multiple amputations, full or partial paralysis, traumatic brain injury (TBI), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), burns, and impairment of vision and hearing while serving in the military. This work fulfills their mission “To build and donate specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives.”

bb-7-22-22-1.jpgLCPL Honaker with fiancée, Rachael, accepts the symbolic key to his new home from Tom Landwermeyer, Brigadier General (USA, retired) and President/CEO of Homes For Our Troops

Budget Blinds® became a corporate sponsor in 2014 as the exclusive window coverings provider for HFOT, supported by our manufacturing partner, Springs Window Fashions, who supplies the blinds. The partnership is further made possible by the Budget Blinds franchise owners across the country who donate time and expertise to install custom faux wood blinds in every home built.

“This is it. I don’t need anything else.”     

This statement was made by LCPL Kevin Honaker about the new HFOT home that he received this month. Designed with the purpose of restoring some of the independence and freedom lost by severely injured Veterans, it is the greatest compliment that HFOT could receive about these homes! Wider doorways for wheelchair accessibility to every part of the home and garage, lowered countertops in kitchens and bathrooms, hands-free automatic doors, pull-down shelves, and roll-in showers are just some of the adaptations that make these homes exactly what Veterans need for greater independence and safety.

bb-7-22-22-2.jpgA favorite spot in the house is the accessible bathroom with roll-in shower, therapy tub, and remote-control blinds

The Budget Blinds custom faux wood blinds throughout each home add beauty, comfort, and the ultimate convenience of one-touch-control motorized blinds in the master bath for added safety. The classic white blinds are compatible with any home décor and can be enhanced with layered window treatments like valances, draperies, or curtains. Their durability and functionality provide years of care-free operation with important benefits that include light and privacy control and increased energy efficiency in any season. And since the homes are built nationwide, faux wood blinds are ideal since they can stand up to extreme hot or cold as well as dry or humid climates in any part of the country without discoloration, warping, cracking, or peeling.

Meet Marine Lance Corporal Kevin Honaker

bb-7-22-22-3.jpgInspired by various family members who had served as members of the United States military, LCPL Kevin Honaker joined the Marines right out of high school along with his best friend. In 2011, on his first deployment to Afghanistan, he stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) while on a routine mission and lost both his legs in the blast. He didn’t want to see how bad it was as his buddies rescued him and applied tourniquets, so he kept his eyes closed. When he next opened them a week later, he was in the U.S. in the hospital with his dad by his side. For the next year at Walter Reed Medical Center, he underwent 12 surgeries and mastered the use of his prosthetic legs.

After leaving Walter Reed Medical Center, Kevin obtained a degree in agricultural business from Tennessee Technological University and completed electrician school. He runs his own company in Atlanta, which he owns with his old squad leader, providing lighting to movie and television production sets.

Homes For Our Troops was referred to Kevin while he was still in the hospital about his eligibility for receiving a mortgage-free, specially adapted home. Busy with college and recovery, Kevin procrastinated but kept in touch. He says, “They reached out to me while I was in the hospital and have called me every four months for about seven years now. They were just waiting until I knew where I wanted to build and stay.” He chose his hometown of Sparta: “I’ve always loved this community. I was born and raised here, and this is where I want to stay forever.”

The new specially adapted home will be a big change from the small, inaccessible home he’s been living in. Without wheelchair access, he had had to wear his prosthetics all day, causing pain and discomfort, especially after long days at a movie set. He’s looking forward to the freedom of a home that is completely wheelchair accessible; one level with wider hallways, lowered appliances, a roll-in shower, and other amenities to make his home a place where he can be comfortable. He shares, “Just knowing there’s always safety here and if I need to use my wheelchair, it’s not a big deal anymore. Go home, get in it, and rest the legs. It’s a huge safety net! The home will financially keep me being able to focus on the business more and not worry and, if I ever have a family one day, it will help even more with that.”

Kevin says words could never express how thankful he is for HFOT’s donors and sponsors who contributed to the building of his home. “I will be forever grateful to everyone who helped me along the way. There are not even words to say enough thank yous. It is unbelievable.”

bb-7-22-22-4.jpgThe kickoff ceremony for Kevin’s home build brought the whole community together to welcome their hometown hero home

This is the first HFOT home for Jake Williams, franchise owner of Budget Blinds of Crossville & Cookeville. He and his team were delighted to do the measuring and professional installation of custom blinds throughout Kevin’s new home. We felt honored and privileged to be able to participate in such a worthwhile cause! Thanks so much for the opportunity. It was a pleasure working with everyone at Home Franchise Concepts, Springs Window Fashions, and Homes For Our Troops. We hope that Lance Corporal Kevin Honaker enjoys the window treatments. It is the least we can do to honor the sacrifices he has made for our country.” 

Click here to hear more of Kevin’s story.

New window treatments to spruce up your life

If you’re ready for a change in your home, new window treatments may be just the thing! You can change the mood of any room with color or style changes to the window coverings. Invoke classic charm with Plantation shutters or formalize a dining room with luxurious drapery and exquisite decorative hardware. Go natural with woven wood or bamboo shades for a touch of the exotic or add a blast of color with custom patterned shades.

bb-7-22-22-5.jpgRoman shades add a cozy feel to this breakfast nook, beautifully controlling the light, the view, and your privacy

Budget Blinds has style and color galore with our wide range of blinds, shutters, shades, drapery, and more, to adorn your windows and your life. Call 866-525-8054 or go online to www.budgetblinds.com to schedule a free, in-home or virtual* consultation with a Design Consultant near you and explore the possibilities for your home.

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