House of Heroes to Rehab Hamden Vet's Home

About 100 volunteers from all over Connecticut will do plenty of laughing and crying this Saturday as they descend four homes around the region, including one in Hamden, to provide a day of service, honoring three veterans whose homes are in need of repair. 

It’s all part of House of Heroes Connecticut, an organization dedicated to honoring the service of veterans through service of their own.

“It’s only one day, but we do our best to make a difference in a day,” said chairman Bill May, a 23-year Army vet and former Blackhawk pilot who founded the Connecticut chapter of the Georgia-based non-profit last year along with his partner, Steve Cavanaugh of Biltmore Construction in Hamden. 

“It’s the least we can do to honor these great Americans, who sacrificed a portion of their lives, be it in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq or elsewhere," he said, "so that we may enjoy the freedoms we have today as Americans.

But they need help, May said. The group is also in dire need for roofers. While they have the donated supplies to make repairs and replace roofs, they lack the professional tradesmen needed to do the job.

Founded in January 2000, House of Heroes is a nonprofit organization serving the nation's military and public safety veterans and their spouses who are disabled, living on a fixed income, or facing other physical/financial challenges. Volunteers perform minor repairs and make improvements to the homes of veterans and their spouses—at no cost to the veteran—through the generosity of individuals, civic organizations, and corporations. 

Home repair services have been provided to more than 600 veterans and their families since the group’s founding; the projects this Saturday will make it 10 veterans’ homes that the Connecticut chapter has renovated in the last year. 

The day will begin around 8:00 a.m. at the homes, including that of Army veteran Vincent Parisi of Hamden.

At each job site, a break will be taken during the day for a ceremony saluting each veteran, at which singer-songwriter and country music recording artist Tim Maggart will play the national anthem and an American flag will be presented to the honored vet.

Parisi a skilled carpenter who lives in Hamden.  At the age of 91, he recalls his military career quite clearly. He entered the service in November of 1942 and was trained as a medical technician. His unit took care of the medical needs of general officers.  

Due to ongoing health issues, PFC Parisi had to depart the service in October of 1944.  He came home to New Haven to marry his bride of 64 years, Ester Parisi, Sadly Ester passed away in 2008. He worked his entire life to take care of his family as an independent carpenter. 

The Hamden Rotary Club is sponsoring the repairs being made to Mr. Parisi’s home.

House of Heroes Connecticut is seeking corporate sponsorships to aid in future projects. For more information, visit www.hohct.org.