Rebuilding Together Gives Back to Gulf War Veteran

Gulf War veteran and Hudson Valley resident Tim Wilkinson has a new walkway that allows him and his elderly mother to safely enter and exit their home thanks to the efforts of Rebuilding Together Dutchess County and the organization's team of dedicated volunteers.

Rebuilding Together Dutchess County is a nonprofit that makes improvements and alterations to houses of soldiers, the elderly, the disabled or low-income families with children. The group aims to provide a safe, warm and dry home for area residents.

Wilkinson benefited from Rebuilding Together Dutchess County's annual National Rebuilding Day in 2012. On National Rebuilding Day, Rebuilding Together chapters and volunteers around the country gather on the last Saturday in April to rehabilitate houses and call attention to the challenges faced by the nation's low-income homeowners. Wilkinson's home improvements also came about from the specific program Rebuilding Together has for veterans called Heroes at Home, which addresses accessibility issues in the homes of retired and active members of the military.

Wilkinson, a disabled Navy veteran, was a member of the first detachment to fire shots in the Gulf War, according to a Neighborhood Journal report. He was grateful for the assistance of Rebuilding Together Dutchess County and its team of volunteers in improving his Hudson Valley home.

Rebuilding Together Dutchess County wants to help other military personnel in need and is currently seeking nominations.