Alpacas Magazine - 2010 Spring

26 / 148

26 Alpacas Magazine
North American Alpaca News
Alpaca Owners Build Homes for Troops
By Jennifer Summer
It took less than four days for volunteer
and construction crews to put up the
walls and seal the home in the greater
Houston (Texas) neighborhood of Waters
Edge for returning military veteran Petty
Officer 2nd Class Anthony Thompson.
As part of the Homes for Our Troops
program, crews which included alpaca
owner John Lavezzari worked from
Jan. 7 through Jan. 9 to assemble the
home for the injured veteran.
Thompson was injured during his
second deployment to Iraq in 2007
when a dump truck detonated impro-
vised explosive devices at the post he
was watching. Due to the incident, he
suffered a severe traumatic brain injury,
a spinal cord injury, and a punctured
right lung, along with other scrapes
and bruises.
Thompson’s wife, Ivonne, was put
in touch with Homes forOur Troops
and was immediately approved for a
home after she submitted the applica-
tion. Established in 2004, Homes for
Our Troops is an organization that
receives donated materials and labor to
build homes for veterans who have
severe multiple injuries. “When I called
the organization for an application,
I was told that they heard of Anthony
and were waiting for me to call. This
program is so wonderful because it
helps wounded veterans like Anthony
get a home, which takes the burden
off of the family.”
The Build Brigade descended upon
the plot of land where the Thompsons’
new home was scheduled to be built
and were hard at work to build the
family’s dream home.
Lavezzari first become involved with
Homes for Our Troops in 2006 when
he responded to an advertisement and
offered his services. The first home build
he was assigned to was in the Canyon
Lake area outside of San Antonio and
he was asked to evaluate the site. “Soon
after I helped evaluate the site, I was
offered the position as the director of
the San Antonio Homes for Our
Troops,” Lavezzari said. “When this job
in Waters Edge came up, I was ecstatic
because this is the community I live and
work in. My son, Brian Lavezzari, and
I jumped on the opportunity to help the
Thompsons.” Lavezzari’s son is now the
overseer of the Homes for Our Troops
in San Antonio.
The event started with a ceremony
where almost 125 people from the
community showed up in support,
along with the Rolling Thunder motor-
cycle group and officers from U.S.
Customs who are now the Thompsons’
neighbors. Ivonne was escorted to the
special event by both groups. Said
Lavezzari: “It truly is amazing to see
the community step forward to help
build this home and honor Anthony
and his family; it is very motivational.”
Upon completion, there is a
key ceremony where the home
will be dedicated to the family.
For more information about
Homes for Our Troops, log on to
.
When not swinging a hammer for injured mili-
tary veterans, John and Brian Lavezzari own
Bluff Creek Alpacas in Kingwood, Texas. They
can be reached at
Jennifer Summer is a reporter for the
Atascocita Observerin Humble, Texas. She
can be reached at
This article is reprinted by permission of the
Observer Group of Houston Community
Newspapers, .
Volunteers who are a part of the Homes For
Our Troops build brigade raise a wall in the home
being built for Anthony Thompson who was
injured during his second tour of duty in Iraq.
Ivonne Thompson, center, wife of severely
injured Navy Petty Officer Anthony Thompson,
looks on as the crew raises a small wall in their
home being built by Homes For Our Troops.
Volunteers and community business owners
turned out in force to help the Homes For Our
Troops’ Build Brigade.
Photos courtesy of Homes for Our Troops