About Us
Helping a Hero:
About SGT (Ret) Jonathan Rivenbark
SGT (Ret) Jonathan Rivenbark grew up in Eastern North Carolina and enlisted in the Army in 2009. Stationed at Ft Bragg and Airborne Infantryman, he was deployed to Afghanistan twice. During his second deployment in 2012, STG Rivenbark experienced an ambush that resulted in four machine gunshot wounds that fractured both of his knees, causing severe nerve and tissue damage. Today, he spends most of his time in a wheelchair and uses a stimulator to help fire the muscles in his legs. “Our new house will provide Yulia and me with far more comfortable place to call home. The specially designed aspects will really help me move around more easily and make it easier on my wonderful wife, too”, says SGT (Ret) Rivenbark.
McKee Homes, with support
from USA Dream Stone, Builds Custom Adaptive Residence for Wounded Army Veteran
Home is part of the Legacy Lakes community in Aberdeen, NC, will welcome new neighbors on Tuesday, August 18, when SGT (Ret) Jonathan Rivenbark and his wife assume ownership of a home built to accommodate his injuries. The 2.300 sq. ft. home features wider door openings and hallways, lower counters in the kitchen and bathrooms, zero - threshold entries at showers and exterior doors, and a sidewalk surrounding the home to better accommodate SGT (Ret) Rivenbark's disabilities and a wheelchair. Built by McKee Homes and valued at more than $250.000 Usa Dream Stone provided GRANITE COUNTERTOPS to the construction project. “ We are delighted to be part of such a valuable program that recognizes and honors veterans” service and supports their ongoing recovery and independence " said Usa Dream Stone President.
The Home is provided with only a $50.000 mortgage to the veteran as part of the Helping A Hero program which works with builders, suppliers, landowners and communities where veterans receive and ongoing support from neighbors, home owners associations, and other nearby service and veterans organizations. The Rivenbark home is one of the three homes being dedicated this month by Helping A Hero and is the 3rd home completed in North Carolina.
Mc Kee Homes has previously built three adaptive homes for military veterans, though this is the first time it has partnered with Helping a Hero. McKee Homes contributed $50.000 toward the price of the home through its Joe McKee Memorial Alzheimer´s Fund. They also coordinated contributions of labor, material or both from building suppliers and vendors eager to support the project. Developer Mountain Real Estate Capital donated the lot at legacy Lakes, located in Aberdeen, NC. near Pinehurst. The Key ceremony at which SGT (Ret) Rivenbark and his wife, Yulia, assume ownership of their home is on Tuesday, August 18, at 11.30 am. The Home is located at: 380 Kerr Lake Rd. Aberdeen, NC 28315
HOME & GARDEN
Widow of
U.S. Navy Petty Officer
surprised by gift of
new Hero Home in Wendell
WENDELL, N.C. (WTVD) -- The widow of a U.S. Navy Petty Officer was surprised with the news that she was the recipient of Hero Home 28 in Wendell.
Paige Radon flew into the Triangle from her home in Chicago under the guise she was touring a Wendell neighborhood as part of the home application process but was surprised when she walked into a model with the news that she and her 6-year-old son, Jayden, were recipients of the home.
"We are just so thankful," Radon said.
Radon applied for the Hero Home in 2023. Her husband, Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Russell Blake died in 2019. Blake was 24 years old when he was hit by an RV while riding his motorcycle to work one block away from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington.
Radon said her husband always helped other service members when they moved by letting them stay at their house and she feels this blessing is part of his legacy.
"Time after time and time again, he went out of his way to help other people," Radon said.
"And, after he passed, a lot of people were shocked, and we didn't really necessarily have that same support. This might be the time that we have that support that he gave to everyone else. Kind of a full circle situation where he can kind of see that, that love you give it out into the world and you help other people that maybe will come back to you."
Centex Homes is building a mortgage-free home for Radon and her son in Wendell.
"For Centex, this will be the fifth home that we've done with Operation Coming Home and the U.S. Veterans Corps," said Mikkel Thompson with Centex Homes. "It's just awesome. Being able to give back as a veteran myself, after you served that time. I only did seven years of active duty. But, being able to continue on doing something for the veterans, that's meaningful."
Radon has family in North Carolina and is looking forward to the move in the coming months.
"We are just so thankful," Radon said. "And, I know my husband's smiling. I know he's so happy, and he's so happy that the military community is involved."
The home is expected to be completed for move-in sometime in the fall with a big key ceremony beforehand.
*Pulte Homes is the builder we are collaborating with on this project. https://abc11.com/hero-home-surprise-free-mortage-free/14483571/
Mc Kee Homes has previously built three adaptive homes for military veterans, though this is the first time it has partnered with Helping a Hero. McKee Homes contributed $50.000 toward the price of the home through its Joe McKee Memorial Alzheimer´s Fund. They also coordinated contributions of labor, material or both from building suppliers and vendors eager to support the project. Developer Mountain Real Estate Capital donated the lot at legacy Lakes, located in Aberdeen, NC. near Pinehurst. The Key ceremony at which SGT (Ret) Rivenbark and his wife, Yulia, assume ownership of their home is on Tuesday, August 18, at 11.30 am. The Home is located at: 380 Kerr Lake Rd. Aberdeen, NC 28315
Gold Star Family surprised
with new Hero Home
in Fuquay-Varina as part of
Operation Coming Home
FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Gold Star Family is starting the new year with a big surprise.
Ava Bradley and three of her four children believed they were headed to a model home in Fuquay-Varina on January 2 to meet with a builder and developer as part of their application process for Operation Coming Home. However, the family was surprised while on-site with the news that they would be receiving Hero Home 27.
"Y'all are a blessing," Bradley said through tears and laughs to everyone on site.
Operation Coming Home is in association with the Raleigh-based nonprofit US Veterans Corps. The program honors the sacrifice of those who have served by providing brand new custom homes to wounded veterans and Gold Star Families like The Bradleys.
Ava lost her husband, Army Staff Sgt. Juantrea "Trea" Bradley Sr. in March 2008 during Operation Iraqi Freedom from wounds sustained when his vehicle caught fire from a nearby mortar attack. Bradley was one of three killed in the attack.
"There was five of them in there and three of them didn't make it," Bradley said. "So, two of them are still here with us so we still have those two angels here but he loved what he did."
Ava and four kids were left behind. She says the years following her husband's death were difficult.
"The first 5-6 years, it was it was really rough," she said. "Then, you rely on your faith, which we were, you know, a faith abundant family before then. He wasn't afraid of death. So, I feel like you did what you were supposed to do. He was like I do this for my country and now he did what he needed to do and now I have to do what I have to do," Bradley explained about finding the strength to move forward and take care of her family.
She works as a mental health therapist in Greenville, North Carolina, but the family will move to the Harnett County side of Fuquay-Varina in a new development called Serenity once the house is complete.
"It's going to be 1,200 homes when it's all built out," explained Ben Taylor of Greenfield Communities, the developer of Serenity.
"Greenfields really proud to support the military community," Taylor said. "This is just one small way we can give back."
Garman Homes will build The Bradley's home.
"For us, it's really special," explained Alaina Money-Garman, Garman Homes CEO. "To be able to build a home for another woman to have a woman own company building for a widow of a fallen soldier is really special for all of us," Money-Garman added.
Bradley's home is expected to be completed in the fall of 2023.
"I want to say thank all y'all for making this possible," Bradley said. "Y'all are a blessing way more than you could ever know."
*Garman Homes is the other builder for another project: https://abc11.com/ava-bradley-trea-gold-star-familiy-hero-home/12642494/
FAQ
Natural stone refers to a number of products quarried from the earth that have been used over many thousands of years as building materials and decorative enhancements. These products include granite, marble, limestone, travertine, slate, quartzite, sandstone, adoquin, onyx, and more. They are more than just rocks. Natural stone is hand selected from the best, most consistent sources for durability and beauty.
Natural stone products differ in composition, color, and texture even among pieces from the same source. This is usually considered a benefit, lending itself to one-of-a-kind designs and distinctive, dramatic applications. Give us a call today at USA Dream Stone to pick out a natural stone for your kitchen remodel in the Garner, NC area, and beyond.
Natural stone is prized for its distinctive beauty and the sense of peaceful tranquility it creates, but there are also many practical benefits to using natural stone in your home. Natural stone products are more durable than many artificial products, often lasting for decades with very little maintenance. With natural stone, there are no worries about exposure to harmful chemicals in the home or released into the environment during production or disposal. Why invest time and money into a look-alike? Natural stone, such as marble countertops in the Garner, NC area are the real thing that artificial products try to emulate.
Countertops in kitchens and bar areas are often exposed to acidic substances such as lemon, vinegar, alcohol, and tomato sauce. Knives, dishes, pots, pans, and other cooking supplies may cause scratching of lesser materials.
Granite is the hardest and densest of all natural stones. The feldspar content keeps it water resistant, and the silicates it contains won’t react with acid. These properties help granite resist staining and retain its fine luster over a longer period of time than ceramic tiles or other stones.
Although marble is commonly requested for countertops in bars and kitchens, marble’s high carbonate content makes it vulnerable to acidic substances. That’s why our granite counter tops in the Garner, NC area are so popular.
Stone surfaces are very easy to maintain. Clean countertops with warm water and mild liquid soap. Never use acid cleansers or abrasive chemicals on stone. Natural stone should be sealed after installation and every one to two years thereafter, depending on its application.
All natural stones, including marble and granite, must be properly sealed to protect against staining. Without proper and regular sealing, granite counter tops in the Garner, NC area and other natural stones are porous and can absorb spilled substances, leaving unsightly stains and marks.
Impregnator sealer consists of microscopic balls of silicone that attach themselves to crevices inside the stone. These balls become a permanent part of the stone and act as a waterproof shield. Give us a call if you have any questions about impregnator sealer for your granite counter tops in the Garner, NC area, and beyond.
