Local Clarksville Keller Williams Team Helps Rebuild an Injured Army Family's Life One Brick At A Time...
FT. CAMPBELL, KY - September 30, 2007 - Not often are we given the chance to make a real difference in the world. If ever offered that chance... Grab it! The payout lives with you forever... That’s just what the Clarksville Keller Williams Team had done 2 years ago, when they reached out and took "giving" to a new level.
Word on the Street
When Maurice Vaughn, owner of the Tennessee Market Center for Keller Williams Real Estate, heard from his good friend Clay Powers, the contractor chosen by ABC designers, about the selection of local Army Master Sgt. Luis Rodriguez and his family, to appear on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition... he jumped at the chance to help. "This was such a heart-warming opportunity to give back in some small way to our soldiers, everything that they’ve sacrificed for us", said Maurice when asked why he decided to enlist more than 60 of his associates and their families to volunteer for the effort.
Army medic Luis Rodriguez suffered the loss of his right leg and two left fingertips in 2004 when his envoy was struck by a roadside bomb. He underwent 16 surgeries over the following 4 months which ended in teaching him to walk again with his new prosthetic leg. His previous home wasn’t well-suited for someone with his injury due to the number of stairs and narrow hallways, so ABC decided that he was a perfect choice to receive the "gift" of a new home.
In total, more than 700 volunteers from all over Clarksville and Ft. Campbell undertook the enormous job of demolishing and rebuilding the Rodriguez family home, all within a span of five (5) short days! Mo Anderson, CEO of Keller Williams International, flew from Texas to witness the ordeal and said that she was greeted by "a sea of Keller Williams agents" as she approached the bustling construction site. "It was amazing what I saw, and after watching Maurice and The Vaughn Team take such control of the situation, I was proud to be a part of such a noble effort," she stated. "Maurice and his wife, Terri, displayed outstanding leadership and compassion as the whole project came together. It was really a special moment to witness, believe me, especially watching the Rodriguez family step out of that limousine and see their new home for the first time. The tears just rolled down my face."
Families helping families
Maurice's son, Jon, and his daughter, Amanda, were also a strong force during the non-stop 5-day marathon. "I slept in my truck for about 4 hours every night during those 5 days", states Jon, "there was just so much to do and I wanted to make sure I did my part". They weren’t alone, as families from all over Clarksville and Ft. Campbell came together as a tight community to help one of their own. "This new home just couldn’t go to a more deserving family", states Amy Casner, a neighborhood friend whose daughter, Jordan, went to pre-school with the Rodriguez’s youngest daughter, Melanie. "They are wonderful people who would give you the shirt off their back. I’m so happy they were chosen."
Today, Master Sgt. Rodriguez continues to be a vital part of the U.S. Army by training future medics at the Ft. Campbell Base Medical School. His wife, Lillian, has finished her degree in social work and is now a counselor for military families that have lost a loved one in battle or have sustained injury. Their two daughters, Michelle and Melanie, now 10 and 8 years old, respectively, attend school and enjoy living in their new home. This family is a true testament to what giving and receiving is all about... That even in dark times, a bright light shines when people come together for all the right reasons...