Milwaukee custom home builder, Belman Homes, was excited to build the very first home in Wisconsin for Operation FINALLY HOME!
Pella Windows & Doors wrote a great article showcasing the journey with Operation FINALLY HOME and what inspired David Belman to get involved – check it out here!
Neumann Companies generously donated the lot`s in the Cranberry Creek subdivision of Jackson, WI where Belman Homes & Tim O`Brien Homes built the first two homes for Operation FINALLY HOME Wisconsin!
PILLAR EVENTS:
The Surprise – The recipient is told they have been selected to receive a home
Ground Breaking Ceremony – Builders, sponsors, and community leaders kick off the project at the home site
Notes of Love – Builders, sponsors, and community may write a personal message on the studs of the home to the family
Dedication Event – Sponsors, family, and the builder celebrate the completion of the home
Action in Jackson Parade – June 14th, 2015 in the Village of Jackson
Jackson Tailgate Party – September 19th, 2015 in the Village of Jackson – Town Hall
Charity Golf Event – September 25th, 2015 at Kettle Hills Golf Course
OUR JOURNEY:
On January 30th, 2015 David Belman met retired General Lynch who commanded over 120,000 troops. General Lynch presented David with a special medallion. General Lynch stated that “he only gives these to people who are making a difference in the world.”
David Belman was awarded the first “Power of One” award from the Wisconsin Builders Association for being the first builder in Wisconsin to step forward and build an Operation Finally Home house in Wisconsin.
In January 2015 David Belman met the Operation Finally Home team to kick start the planning. He also met country music star Kix Brooks, Operation Finally Home`s celebrity sponsor at a presentation event. At this event a deserving family was surprised to find out that they were chosen for a brand new mortgage-free home!
4/13/15 View our appearance on the Morning Blend to kick off Operation Finally Home
PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENT
6/11/15 We celebrated our Project Announcement for Operation Finally Home Wisconsin with Lt. Governor Kleefisch, Senator Dewey Strobel, Jackson Village President John Walther, Miss Milwaukee, and many of our sponsors. Over 100 people attended the event, despite the constant rain, to celebrate this monumental occasion with us. We got really wet but it was a memorable experience!
ACTION IN JACKSON PARADE
6/14/15 Belman Homes participated in the Action in Jackson Parade. We had over 40 volunteers handing out flags, candy and collecting donations for Operation Finally Home. The Village of Jackson warmly received us and it was truly a memorable experience.
SURPRISE
(Click photo above to see the video of the event)
8/16/15 At Wisconsin State Fair, Sergeant Drew Wroblewski was surprised at a Veteran’s Appreciation ceremony and found out he was the first recipient of an Operation Finally Home project in the Village of Jackson. Get to know Drew!
GROUND BREAKING
9/8/15 We celebrated our ground breaking for Operation Finally Home. It was a monumental occasion as we embarked on the very first Operation Finally Home builds in Wisconsin! We were joined by many supporters. After the Pledge of Allegiance and an opening prayer by Lee Kergan of Operation Finally Home, we thanked our many sponsors and celebrated with the first shovels of dirt at the site. Katelyn Wroblewski, our first recipient, was able to attend, Drew was out of town for work. Even though it rained (again) we had a great event. Check out all the great photos from this event!
VILLAGE OF JACKSON TAILGATE PARTY
9/21/15 The Village of Jackson had their “Action in Jackson” team put together a community fundraiser for Operation Finally Home at their Rec center. This inspired group of people developed a tailgate party before the Packers/Seahawks game. There was tons of fun including a live band, silent auction, raffles, food, all benefiting the two builds for Operation Finally Home. It was a beautiful day and Drew & Katelyn were able to come and meet the community. Right before the event a very generous individual stepped forward who has veterans in their family and made an anonymous donation of $50,000 for Operation Finally Home Wisconsin! That was truly astonishing and we are so very grateful for their full support of the project and such a generous donation. We are all speechless – with that donation this event raised over $66,000 for our two builds!! Please enjoy some photos from the event!
GOLF OUTING
9/25/15 Kettle Hills Golf Course donated their course for an Operation Finally Home Golf outing. We were honored to have the founder of Operation Finally Home, Dan Wallrath, in attendance. Everyone had a fantastic time and the weather was outstanding. The day was capped off by a helicopter ball drop, a silent auction, dinner & prayer for the families. Drew also came up and thanked everyone for their participation. It was a very emotional day. Nearly $25,000 was raised for the two builds at this event – thank you to all of those who participated!!
BCMC CONFERENCE
10/21/15 Operation Finally Home was invited to the BCMC Conference. The two homes are being studied for the material and labor usage between a stick built home and a panelized home. Lt. General Willie Williams was a guest speaker at the event. Our efforts were recognized as well as our recipients. Later that day we traveled to the construction site where the panel home was being constructed as well as lots of other construction activity that day.
SURPRISE
10/30/15 At the Bucks Game, U.S. Army Specialist Robert “Bo” Kitelinger found out he was the second recipient of an Operation Finally Home project in the Village of Jackson. Get to know Bo!
KITELINGER`S VISIT BELMAN HOMES OFFICE
11/06/15 Bo & Kim Kitelinger visited Belman Homes to meet the team and start designing their new mortgage-free home! It was a chance for those of us at Belman Homes to get to know Bo & Kim a bit and find out what they would like in their home. They sat down to look at the house plans and were able to make changes to certain things if desired, decide between their children who will have what room, what colors to paint walls, etc. It was a great visit and we hope they’re excited to move forward with us!
NOTES OF LOVE
11/13/15 Operation Finally Home hosted Notes of Love at the two mortgage-free homes. Sponsors, the community, and anyone else who wanted, came and wrote notes on the studs of the walls in both Bo & Kim`s home as well as Drew & Katelyn`s home. It was a great turn out and the homes were left with notes all over in every room, wishing the families years of happiness and much more! The following day the families were able to come to their house and read all of the notes that were left. Thank you to everyone who came out to support such a great cause – U.S. Army Specialist Bo Kitelinger, U.S. Army Sergeant Drew Wroblewski and their families will feel the love each time they walk into their new home.
DEDICATION EVENT
6/4/16 A day we will never forget. The day we handed over the keys to the Kitelinger`s new mortgage-free home. We can’t thank our sponsors/supporters enough…you all truly made this project come to life! U.S. Army Specialist Bo Kitelinger & U.S. Army Sergeant Drew Wroblewski were escorted in by a procession of Combat Veterans on their Harleys to their new homes. Many of the generous donors, contractors, and Community and Village officials were on hand to witness the dedication of the first Operation Finally Home homes in Wisconsin. Senator Dewey Stroble, State Representative Scott Allen, and Village President John Walther were all on hand and expressed their excitement for the project as well.
IN THE NEWS:
6/13/15 – Journal Sentinel – Dream homes for wounded veterans: ‘Operation Finally Home’ comes to Wisconsin
6/20/15 – Journal Sentinel – ‘Operation Finally Home’ comes to Wisconsin
7/2015 – Waukesha Freeman – A Fresh Start: Local builders join national cause to help veterans
10/21/15 – FOX6NOW – “It’s really gratifying:” Two homes going up in Washington Co. for pair of our nation’s heroes
10/30/15 – TMJ4 – WI Veterans’ Welcome “Home”
11/2/15 – CBS58 – Charity Surprises Veteran With New Home
11/7/15 – Journal Sentinel – Operation Finally Home Surprises Second Wisconsin Veteran
11/21/15 – Journal Sentinel – Notes of Love Fill Veterans’ Wisconsin Homes
5/2/16 – Pella Windows & Doors – Belman Homes Helps Give a Wisconsin Veteran’s Family a Mortgage-Free House
6/2/16 – FOX6NOW – Video about the Dedication Event
6/5/16 – Waukesha Freeman – Video of the Dedication Event
MEDIA APPEARANCES
Huge thank you to the various Milwaukee media channels who have picked up the Operation Finally Home story and are helping spread the word. We have made appearances on “The Morning Blend” with Molly and Tiffany, AM 620 with Gene Mueller, Channel 12 News, AM 1130 with Dan O’Donnell, and a special appearance with State Representative Scott Allen.
FUNDRAISERS
We would like to extend a massive “Thank You” to the Hales Corner Fire Department for doing a “Fill the Bucket” drive on 7/10/15 that raised over $5,800! On 7/24/15 the Vernon Fire Department raised an additional $6,116 on a “Fill the Bucket” drive. Thanks to all of you for your great support on our project. We could not do it without you!
SPONSORS
We could not pull off this project without you! Here are some of our main sponsors for the project! (Please make sure to check back as we continue to receive support)
*click on photo to visit their website*
Other sponsors involved:
BBC Lighting, Kichler Lighting, Adkins Sewer and Water, Starbird Concrete, Linder Bros. Trucking, Grand Appliance and TV, Tile and Surface Management, Grand Appliance and TV, Broan Nutone, Arrow Millwork and Cabinetry, Hallmark Building Supply, Nonn’s Design Showplace, Signs and Lines, West Allis Blueprint, Sommer Finish Carpentry, Perrin Carpentry, Horner Plumbing, and many others.