We completed our SECOND mortgage-free home on June 10th, 2017!
Where: 512 Dunbar Avenue, City of Waukesha, WI
Meet the Recipient – U.S. Army Specialist Philip Olson
Get Involved:
We now have an Operation Finally Home in Wisconsin website – check it out!
PILLAR EVENTS:
THE ANNOUNCEMENT
6/20/16 County Executive Paul Farrow, Representative Scott Allen, Mayor Shawn Reilly, Alderman Erik Helgestad, members of the Operation FINALLY HOME team, both Wisconsin and National, all attended the official announcement at the home site to show their support of the Operation FINALLY HOME project in Waukesha.
THE REVEAL
7/7/16 We successfully surprised U.S. Amy Specialist, Philip Olson, and his family at Summerfest with the announcement that they are the recipient of the new mortgage-free home in Waukesha! Get to know Philip!
THE GROUND BREAKING
9/10/16 We broke ground on the Olson`s new home! The project is now underway and set to be done in early summer of 2017. Thank you to everyone who came out to support this project!
NOTES OF LOVE
11/4/16 The home was open from 12-4 p.m. for the community to come and write personal messages to the Olson family on the studs of the home. Summit View Elementary School, Montessori School of Waukesha, and Section School in Mukwonago had their students get involved by either writing a message or drawing a picture for the family – we then hung these up throughout the whole home. The following day the family stopped by to read all of the messages and take it all in. It was truly heartwarming to see all of the inspirational notes of love for Philip, Chenoah, and Jonah.
DEDICATION EVENT
06/10/17 We handed over the keys to the Olson family! We were joined on this sunny day by the community, sponsors, friends and family to welcome U.S. Army Specialist Philip Olson and his family home. After the ceremony they were able to walk through and see their finished home for the very first time. Those in attendance were able to walk through once the family was finished. It was a great day!!
FUNDRAISERS:
Memorial Day Parade in Menomonee Falls
5/30/16 Thank you to everyone who came out to support Operation FINALLY HOME in the Memorial Day parade in Menomonee Falls! We were thrilled to have our recipient from the Jackson project, Bo Kitelinger, & his family along with us!
Firefighter Bucket Drive with the Hales Corners Fire Department
6/24/16 Thank you to the Hales Corners Fire Department for setting up a bucket drive along Hwy 100 & Grange to raise money for our build. To everyone who came out and helped, WOW…you all did a great job running through and dodging traffic to fill those buckets! We raised a total of $4,903.32! The Hales Corners Now wrote a great article mentioning the event – read here.
4th of July Parade in Waukesha
7/4/16 Thank you to everyone who helped support Operation FINALLY HOME in the City of Waukesha parade this 4th of July. We handed out tons of flags & candy! We can’t wait to get this great project under way!
Town Hall Meeting
7/15/16 The Town Hall Meeting was an event for those in the community to come and learn about Operation FINALLY HOME and what the organization is doing in Wisconsin. We have committed to being the builder for the Waukesha project and through support of developers, contractors, individual contributors, and volunteers we will be building a mortgage-free home for U.S. Army Specialist, Philip Olson, and his family in the Dunbar Oaks neighborhood.
Firefighter Bucket Drive with the Vernon Fire Department
7/22/16 Thank you to the Vernon Fire Department for setting up a bucket drive along Hwy 164 & National Ave to raise money for our build. We are thrilled to share that we raised a new record of $8,694!! It was a HOT day out but that didn’t stop us. Great job team!
“Drive it Home Fore a Vet” Golf Outing
9/22/16 HUGE thank you to all who came out to the second annual Golf Outing for Operation FINALLY HOME! Through all of the generous support we raised over $60,000! The rain held out and it was a beautiful day out at Kettle Hills Golf Course. Join us next year on September 21st for the third annual golf outing!
The Olson`s visit Belman Homes Design Room
9/21/16 We had the Olson`s into our design room to sit down with our interior designer, Nicole, and our director of construction services, Jeff. They have picked out their selections and we`re excited to turn their dream into a reality!
Culver`s Night
11/29/16 We teamed up with local Culver`s restaurant in Waukesha to have a donation night. 10% of sales made between 5-8 p.m. went to our project in the City of Waukesha. A group put together of task members and family/friends helped deliver food orders to the cars in the drive-thru and to the tables inside. It was a great night – thank you to all who came out to support our project!
IN THE NEWS:
5/30/17 – Press Release – Veteran to Receive Keys to Brand New, Mortgage-Free Home
6/13/16 – Press Release – Belman Homes to Build Another Home for a Wounded Warrior!
6/18/16 – Journal Sentinel – Operation FINALLY HOME Launches its Second Project in the State
6/20/16 – CBS58 – Veteran to Receive New Home in Waukesha
6/20/16 – 620WTMJ – Operation FINALLY HOME: Wisconsin’s Injured Vets get Donated Mortgate-Free Homes
6/23/16 – FM106.1 – This Local Company is Building a Home for a Wounded War Hero (article removed from their site)
6/25/16 – Journal Sentinel – A Home Brings a Community Together
7/7/16 – CBS58 – Local Soldier Surprised at Summerfest with a Mortgage Free Home
7/7/16 – FOX6 – “Had no idea!” Local Veteran Awarded New, Free Home at Summerfest
9/9/16 – Press Release – U.S. Army Specialist, Philip Olson, Breaks Ground on His Families New Mortgage-Free Home
9/16/16 – Journal Sentinel – Groundbreaking Commemorates 9/11
10/28/16 – Press Release – Inspirational Notes of Love to be written on U.S. Army Vets Mortgage-Free Home
11/5/16 – The Waukesha Freeman – Notes of Love for Local Military Family
11/10/16 – Pella Windows & Doors Blog – How We`re Helping a Wisconsin Veteran Get a Mortgage-Free Home”
11/11/16 – Journal Sentinel – Operation FINALLY HOME Hits the Right Notes
2/5/17 – Journal Sentinel – Army Vet’s Mortgage-Free Home Meets His Needs
6/16/17 – Journal Sentinel – HOMEOWNERSHIP: The Cornerstone of the American Dream
For information on how you can help…please call our head of sponsorship at (262)299-8116
or text “Wisconsin” to 41444 or drop off a donation at our official drop off location, at any First Federal Bank.
Get involved with the BUSINESS MATCH FUND! Learn more here.
Get to know the Task Force behind this project!
The Metropolitan Builders Association, First Federal Bank, Small Business Growth Partners, the Town of Waukesha, Paragon Media Group, M Magazine, S.E.H., LandMark Engineering, Litho-Craft, Co., Haylee`s Heroes, and Midwest Sales & Marketing, Inc. make up the Task Force for this project!
Sponsors:
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this project in some way!
Premier Sponsors: 
& Fotsch Family Foundation
10,000+ Sponsors : Zuerns, Louisiana Pacific, Arrow Millwork and Cabinetry, Diamond Electric, Nonn’s Design Showplace, Pella Windows and Doors, Dave Droegkamp Heating and Cooling, First Federal Bank, Breckenridge Landscape & Tim Perrin Carpentry
$5,000+ Sponsors: Floyds Plumbing, Kohler Co., Prodigy One, CertainTeed Shingles, & Wisconsin Truss Manufacturers Association
Other Sponsors: Eric Jacobsen Grading, Von Drasek Excavating, Sommerset Home Planning, ZK Carpentry, Bob’s Glass, GEIS, Country Stove and Fireplace, Suburban Drywall, Hallmark, Tile and Surface Management, Grand Appliance and TV, Trease Painting, Cans to Go, EZ Window Cleaning, Starbird Concrete, L&M Cleaning, Bliffert Lumber and Fuel, Signs and Lines, West Allis Blue, Adkins Sewer and Water, Sherwin Williams, Broan NuTone, BBC Lighting, Paragon Media and Paragon Marketing, Midwest Sales and Marketing, Wendland Nursery, Mark’s Custom Services, Neu’s, Scott Crawford Siding, Wisconsin Insulation, Cutler-Hammer, Pass and Seymour, Apex Home Renew, Rundle-Spence Co., & The Metropolitan Builders Association.