HOME

Building the Bagge home

'Homes for Our Troops’ relies on local support

By RAELYNN RICARTE

News staff writer

Chris Haffner, owner of an engineering firm in Mosier, volunteered to help get a home built in Parkdale for Ssgt. Christian Bagge to “give back in some small way.”

“I’ve wanted to do something to show my support for the men and women who serve, or have served, this country. And this project was local enough that I could get involved,” Haffner said.

His contribution was to get housing plans for the disabled veteran through the permitting process. He worked with Homes for Our Troops to make whatever changes were necessary to ensure the plans sailed smoothly through regulatory channels.

Kase Construction of The Dalles volunteered to serve as Homes’ general contractor for the project.  The company will begin bringing the schematics to reality during the Build Brigade weekend, Aug. 27-29, at the 4025 Nastasi Drive property.

A ceremony to kick off the three days of exterior work will take place at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 27, at the construction site. (A full schedule of events will be published in the Saturday edition of the Hood River News and The Dalles Chronicle).

Homes has coordinated its fundraising efforts with Advantis Credit Union of Portland, title sponsor of the project.

To date, Advantis has raised $45,000 out of the $150,000 needed to facilitate construction of the Bagge home and another residence in Sandy for Army Spec. Kevin Pannell.

Bagge, whose family is temporarily residing in The Dalles, said Pannell, who is also a double amputee, was one of his first visitors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

He said Pannell, who was already on the road to recovery, gave him hope that normalcy in life would be restored at some point in his future.

“I looked at him and thought, if he can do this, so can I,” said Bagge. “I think it is very exciting that both of us are being honored this way.”

Homes for Our Troops was founded in 2004 by John Gonsalves, who felt the nation could thank disabled veterans for their service by ensuring that their living space matched their needs.

“I heard a story about a soldier like Christian with major injuries and I just assumed, at that point, that something like our organization already existed,” said Gonsalves.

“But, when I went looking for how I could get involved, I couldn’t find anything — so I decided that this was something that I needed to do for our veterans.”

He said it took several years for Homes, based on Massachusetts, to gain “financial maturity” that brought public trust.

With support growing from people across the nation, Gonsalves said the nonprofit group has been able to build 61 homes for disabled veterans and is in the process of constructing 40 more.

“People really find something in this that they can believe in and can feel good about,” he said.

Gonsalves said that sense of ownership probably arises from the fact that Homes partners with financial institutions and contractors in each area that a residence is built.

The key to success, he said, is that costs are kept down by using volunteer labor to get most of the work done.

He said Homes usually learns about a need after being contacted by a veteran who requests a home that will accommodate a specific disability.

Once the organization agrees to take on a project, a financial partner is found, such as Advantis, to spearhead the local fundraising efforts.

Homes coordinates the actual construction and markets to get people involved who have expertise in the building trades.

“We ask people to pay it forward so that we can help the next 100 families (at a cost of about $35 million),” said Gonsalves.

For more information on the Bagge project and how you can contribute, visit www.homesforourtroops.org/bagge.

n

Homes for Our Troops is asking people with experience in the building trades to help construct a Parkdale home for Ssgt. Christian Bagge.

Framers and siders are especially needed to join the three-day Build Brigade, Aug. 27-29, at 4025 Nastasi Drive.

Also requested are donations of snacks, water and borrowed coolers filled with ice to put beverages in.

To sign up and help provide housing for this combat veteran and his family please contact Doreen Lewis at dlewis@homesforourtroops.org.