A new home in Chelmsford is almost ready for its new owner and his family to move in.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the accessible-home built for Cpl. Bill Kerr, who lost both legs and part of an arm while serving in Afghanistan, takes place on Nov. 16 at 1 p.m.
Kerr was on his second tour of service in Afghanistan when he was wounded while on foot patrol by a remotely-detonated explosive device in Sept. 2008. After treatment in Landstuhl, Germany, he was taken home to Canada and spent time in Ottawa recovering from his injuries.
His new home will require modifications not found in a typical home, to ensure everything is wheelchair accessible. This includes modified cabinets and plumbing in the kitchen and bathrooms, so Kerr can reach the sinks, ramps in any stair areas, special non-skid flooring designed to allow for wheelchair and prosthesis-safe movement, modified bathroom — including toilet and shower/bathtub — stair lifts and wider doorways.
Funds for the project were raised by members of the community through events such as Hike for a Hero and Breakfast for a Hero, donations, as well as through donated materials and labour. Dalron Homes and its contractors have provided services and labour at cost.
The Home for a Hero campaign has, to date, raised $260,000 of the $300,000 the house is costing to build. Construction of the home began on July 12.
Contributions to the project are accepted online at www.homeforahero.com, or can be dropped off or mailed to the RWDSU Union Centre, 230 Regent St., Sudbury, ON, P3C 4C5. As the Home for a Hero project is not considered a charity, tax receipts cannot be issued.
