It's not too late
If you'd like to help, general as well as skilled labor volunteers are welcome. Shifts are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m and 3-11 p.m.; the build is through May 8. Register to volunteer, sponsor or donate at steps2hope.com/get-involved.
Just after sunrise Thursday, on a secluded piece of land among the hills and pastures off Salem Valley Road in Ringgold, power tools and bulldozers roared to life to begin work on what will be, in eight very full days, the home of Jason, Lauren and Lyla Smith.
Smith, who lost both his legs while serving in Afghanistan in 2012, was chosen by local nonprofit Steps 2 Hope and Mike Fitzpatrick, a veteran and retired firefighter from Lawrenceburg, Ky., to receive a brand-new home free of charge. Over the next eight days, over 1,000 volunteers -- some coming in from New York, Kentucky and Louisiana -- will build the young family a dream home from scratch.
After a prayer at the "command center" trailer, Jason and Lauren led the contractors up the long gravel driveway to the bare foundation, surrounded by American flags and a sign that read "Welcome Sgt. Smith." The workers took their places, and after Jason and Lauren nailed the first wall together, the rest of the group set about their work.
By midday, all of the walls were up, and the workers were moving attic trusses into place. Steps 2 Hope founder Mark Wilson estimated the group was about five hours ahead of schedule.
"These guys are rock stars," Wilson said. "Everything's gone very smoothly today. We might even be able to get a head-start on plumbing."
Wilson estimated they had about 175 volunteers Thursday. Fitzpatrick said most of his contingent of firefighters and ex-military members had arrived but for a few stragglers. What's more, all arrived ready to work, and despite the fact that most of his volunteers run their own contracting crews back home, they accepted their assigned roles without complaint.
"There are no egos here," Fitzpatrick said. "It's about getting the job done."
One of Fitzpatrick's volunteer contractors, Bill Wise, who came from Frankfurt, Ky., was perhaps more eager than anyone.
Last year, Wise was on his way to Guntersville, Ala., to help Fitzpatrick build a house for another wounded veteran when Wise found out that his son had committed suicide. He said his heart was heavy that he couldn't help out on that build, so when Fitzpatrick called him in November about the project for Jason, nothing was going to keep him from being here.
"I've been looking forward to this," Wise said. "What this man sacrificed for you and me, this is nothing for us to give back."
As the house took shape, Lauren Smith pointed out the different rooms to her uncle, who marveled at the efforts.
"It still doesn't feel real," she said. "It feels like we're doing this for someone else."
Several of the studs in one of the kitchen walls were signed as part of a fundraiser for the project. One said "Shalom to all who enter this home." Nearly all of the rest said "Thank you, Jason," in some form or another.
Jason was also doing some thanking Thursday. Driving a Gator around his new property, he thanked every volunteer he could.
"It's awesome seeing everyone come together for something like this," he said.
Contact staff writer Will Healey at whealey@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6731.