Friday, September 27th, 2019
Tri Star to build home for veteran
Lots for Soldiers teams with school program
By Tom Stankard
Photo by Dan Melograna/The Daily Standard
Caleb Spencer, from left, Eric Gruss and Nate Preston work to level a rafter Thursday as Tri Star Career Center students work on this year's house project at 6799 Lake Acres Drive, Celina.
CELINA - Tri Star Career Compact construction students plan to team up with Lots for Soldiers to build a home for a deserving veteran next school year.
Lots for Soldiers board member Tim Rosengarten said the partnership with Tri Star "is huge."
"It's a community working together to benefit a veteran," he added.
Tri Star Director Tim Buschur said he readily accepted being involved in the project because it fulfills the compact's motto of community service. Organizers will meet in the coming days to iron out the final details, Rosengarten noted.
Construction teacher Brett McGillvary is excited to be part of the project, saying "it is an awesome opportunity for the students to give back to people that served our country."
Tri Star's two-year construction program covers all aspects of the industry, he said.
First-year students are introduced to the fundamentals of construction including carpentry, plumbing, wiring and masonry skills. During the second year, they gain practical experience applying the skills they have learned by constructing a house. Traditionally that house has been sold at auction.
Second-year students started constructing this year's house at 6799 Lake Acres Drive in Jefferson Township at the beginning of the school year.
The 14 seniors are going to be involved in practically every aspect of construction, McGillvary said.
"They do everything - the framing, roofing, plumbing, electric, but they don't do the HVAC system or the concrete work because it takes too long," he added.
Even if students don't pursue a construction-related career, McGillvary said learning how to build a home will help them in other ways.
"If they own a house some day, I guarantee they can use these skills somewhere along the line. It's good knowledge to know," he said.
Having served as a combat engineer in the Army, Rosengarten said "all veterans are important to me and they deserve to be recognized."
Lots for Soldiers representatives are actively considering who will receive next year's Tri Star home, he noted.
Founded in 2014, Lots for Soldiers has provided deserving vets with affordable housing, Rosengarten said.
"They are being recognized for their service and receiving a home many community members have donated their time into," he added.
