St. Louis—The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) has provided flooring for its 39thhome in support of the Gary Sinise Foundation R.I.S.E. program (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment). The R.I.S.E. program builds custom, specially adapted smart homes for severely wounded veterans and first responders. The home dedication for United States Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Gary Linfoot (Ret.) took place on May 10, in Adams, Tenn. Flooring for the project was donated by NWFA member American OEM.
CW5 Linfoot enlisted in the Army Reserve following his graduation from high school. After attending flight school, he joined the Army’s elite 160thSpecial Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). On May 31, 2008, while conducting operations in Iraq, CW5 Linfoot’s helicopter suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure. The helicopter crash-landed, resulting in a broken back that paralyzed Linfoot from the waist down.
“Despite his severe injuries, CW5 Linfoot continues to approach life head-on,” said Michael Martin, NWFA president and CEO. “Just a few short years following his paralysis, he walked his oldest daughter down the aisle on her wedding day wearing an exoskeleton. That’s an amazing display of hard work and determination. And today, he continues to work hard as a helicopter simulator instructor pilot for the unit he once served. We’re honored to partner with American OEM to provide flooring for his new home.”
In addition to the 39 homes already completed, NWFA currently is working with its members to source wood flooring for 18 additional R.I.S.E. homes in various stages of planning and construction. Currently, 61 NWFA member companies have donated product, logistics, and installation services in locations throughout the United States, with a total value of more than $4.5 million. A list of all NWFA R.I.S.E. participating companies can be found at nwfa.org/giving-back.aspx.
By the end of this year, 70 specially adapted smart homes will be completed or underway through the Gary Sinise Foundation R.I.S.E. program. To learn more about the program, contact the NWFA at 800.422.4556, or email anita.howard@nwfa.org.