Lamoille County rallies to build home for veteran injured in Afghanistan

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(Host) A young man from Lamoille County suffered severe injuries while serving in Afghanistan late last year. But even as paralyzed veteran Andrew Parker struggles to regain mobility, his community is rallying to build him a place to come home to.

VPR’s Amy Noyes reports:

(Noyes) The small, white house where Andrew Parker grew up is on a quiet hillside, overlooking Lamoille Union High School’s soccer fields.  The Green Mountains provide a majestic backdrop.

But lately that serenity has been interrupted by the sounds of construction.

A new, accessible apartment is being built for Parker, attached to his childhood home. Retired businessman Sonny Demars has volunteered as Clerk of the Works:

(Demars) "The new space is a total of about fifteen hundred feet, but a lot of that is a double garage that this young man can get in with a handicapped van. And then there’s a very generous living room, and a bedroom that is very adequate, and then a nice, big handicapped bath with a real large shower."

(Noyes) Many of the fundraising efforts for the construction project have involved the Hyde Park VFW. Paul Woodard is post commander.

(Woodard) "We’re just doing what we got to do until we’ve take care of our own and we get Andrew a place to come home to."

(Noyes) Parker left home after graduating from Lamoille Union in 2007. He joined the Army, and was deployed to Afghanistan. Just after Thanksgiving 2008, Private Parker was injured in a roadside bomb attack, leaving him a paraplegic at 20 years old.

Parker spent the winter in Army hospitals. Now, he’s in a Boston rehab center. Parker’s anxious to move back home, but his parents’ house couldn’t accommodate him and his new special needs.

So they decided to turn the family’s garage into a wheelchair-accessible apartment. Before long, friends and neighbors organized the "Bring Andrew Home Committee" to help build the apartment and pay for it. They raised money through events such as a pie auction.

(Auctioneer Lawrence Earle) "Oh. strawberry-rhubarb pie. Who’s got ten dollars quickly on the strawberry-rhubab pie to get it started? Ten dollars quickly on it? Oh, look at the hands in the air, ten, twelve-and-a-half. Fifteen to you, Francine? Fifteen? Fifteen Norm? Twelve-and-a-half dollar bid on a fifteen dollar bid. Going down to twelve-and-a-half on a fifteen dollar bid if you want it…"

(Noyes) Volunteers decided that converting the garage wasn’t sufficient. A local architectural firm volunteered to design a new addition. So the old garage was torn down by students from Parker’s high school.

(Noyes) Since then electricians, plumbers, landscapers and general contractors have come forward to help. Demars says the community is really pitching in.

(Demars) "Almost all of the labor has been donated and quite a few of the materials have been. Everything has been discounted or donated at this point, all the materials, so we’ve got a real good deal going."

(Noyes) To date the Bring Andrew Home Committee has raised over $100,000.

The committee hopes to raise enough money to finish the apartment and buy Parker a customized van. Demars said they plan to have the apartment ready for Parker to move in by the end of June.

In the meantime, Demars says Parker is working hard to regain strength and mobility.

(Demars) "He’s getting some use of his shoulders and elbows, and so he’s improving some. We’re all very encouraged."

(Noyes) A hero’s welcome is planned for Parker’s return. He’s already agreed to serve as grand marshal of Morrisville’s Fourth of July parade. Vermont Adjutant General Michael Dubie is scheduled to ride the parade route alongside Private Parker.

For VPR News, I’m Amy Noyes.

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