Severely Injured Iraq War Marine to Receive Home from Homes for Our Troops: Non-Profit Group Rallies Community and Corporate Sponsors to Build a Specially Adapted Home for Sgt. Greg Edwards of Mobile, AL

Homes for Our Troops, Vice President/Chief Project Officer, Kirt Rebello, will hold a press conference at the vacant lot located at 10050 Southfield Rd. Irvington, AL on January 25, at 10:30 am to announce the beginning of this building project.

Irvington, AL (PRWEB) January 25, 2008 -- Homes for Our Troops, a Massachusetts-based 501 (c)(3) organization that builds and adapts homes for handicap accessibility for our most severely wounded veterans, will be reaching out to the local community members to help provide a new home for Sgt. Greg Edwards.

Marine Sgt. Gregory Edwards took his last step Oct. 21. Alpha Company was on patrol in Ramadi, Iraq, conducting house-to-house searches when a hidden explosive detonated. The blast left Sgt Edwards, a married 24-year-old with two children, a double amputee with a shattered left hand. He has endured 37 surgeries and a painful physical regimen that he devised himself to strengthen the tender stumps that end just above his knees. Although he is a living example of the war's cost, he prefers to look back on what he says will be lasting benefits of his sacrifice. "I lost my legs not for this country, but for the country of Iraq, so their children will be able to run around, just like mine. If time was turned back, I'd do it all over again."

Sgt. Edwards and Homes for Our Troops will be featured at the 57th Annual Under Armour Senior Bowl events being held on this week at Mobile's Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Homes for Our Troops staff and volunteers will be accepting donations at the Fan Frenzy on Friday, January 25, from 3-7 and at the game on Saturday, January 26, where Sgt. Edwards will be an honorary Team Captain. Additional information is available at www.seniorbowl.com.

Since its founding in 2004, Homes for Our Troops has completed 22 projects throughout the US and currently has 20 additional projects in various stages of construction.

Sgt. Edwards home is being coordinated by Homes for Our Troops, Veterans Liaison and former Marine Staff Sgt. Larry Gill. Larry was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, and has had a highly decorated military career including being awarded two Purple Hearts. On October 7, 2003, while conducting security and crowd control operations in Baghdad, Larry was critically injured when an insurgent threw hand grenades into his platoon. Through his diligent efforts to raise awareness in the corporate, military and local communities, Larry has created an unprecedented collaborative effort. That Sgt Edward's dream of owning a home is set to become a reality is due in no small part to the selfless commitment of a true patriot and fellow Marine, Larry Gill.

Who: Homes for Our Troops, Inc., a Taunton, MA-based non-profit organization that (at no cost to the veterans they serve) provides specially adaptive housing to severely wounded veterans returning from the War on Terror. www.homesforourtroops.org

Sgt. Greg Edwards and members of the local community:
http://www.homesforourtroops.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Sgt_Greg_Edwards

What: Press Conference by Homes for Our Troops Vice President/Chief Project Officer, Kirt Rebello, to announce the beginning of the home building project for Sgt Edwards.

When: Friday, January 25 at 10:30 a.m.

Where: The vacant lot located at 10050 Southfield Rd. Irvington, AL

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