19 Jul 2015 A dream to build on

by Beth Tyler

Earlier this year, Bret Franks, a member of the Southern Living Custom Builder Program, and I attended the annual SLCBP conference in Nashville, Tenn. Here, we were given an up-close and personal look at the SLCBP national charity, Operation FINALLY HOME. We witnessed a military veteran and his family as they learned that they would receive a new, mortgage-free home to call their own. I will never forget the look on the veteran’s daughter’s face when she was told she would have a room of her own.

Operation FINALLY HOME develops partnerships with developers, builders, suppliers and tradesmen to do what they do best: build homes. Once a builder is committed, the Operation FINALLY HOME family selection team searches for the best candidates for that area. The SLCBP not only helps find builders to participate in this program, but it utilizes the proceeds through tours of their SLCBP Showcase Homes to financially support future homes for veterans. As part of this program, we are also able to designate a portion of the funds raised toward a local charity of our choosing.

We were inspired. Operation FINALLY HOME empowers people to utilize their God-given skills to help others. We knew this is what we are all called to do, but needed this real-life example to turn our calling into action. The result is a SLCBP Showcase Home in our hometown, Conway, to benefit a future Operation FINALLY HOME project in Arkansas and the Conway Regional Health System Emergency Room Renovation project.

These two causes affect everyone. Support of and care for our military veterans is the duty and honor of every American. And, no one is immune from an emergency. Our community deserves state-of-the-art medical facilities equipped to care for not only the patient, but the family and friends there to support the patient. After all, no one expects an emergency. Improvements should constantly be sought and we applaud Conway Regional for striving to bring the best possible care to our community.  

Thank you to everyone in advance for your support of this project, especially 501 LIFE publishers Sonja Keith and Donna Spears with my 501 LIFE family, the talented Todd and Charlie from Park Hill Home and the amazing teams at Conway Regional Health System and Operation FINALLY HOME.  

I never thought that our love of building homes would be the platform that helps others. What do you have to offer? What unexpected way can you put your gifts to work? Listen for your calling, take action and let the blessings abound.

Named “Randolph Cottage,” the Southern Living Custom Builder Program Showcase Home will be fully furnished and open for tours in October in the new Princeton Village neighborhood in West Conway.

Proceeds from the tour will benefit the Conway Regional Health System Emergency Department renovations and the Southern Living Customer Builder Program charity, Operation FINALLY HOME, a nonprofit organization that works to provide custom-made, mortgage-free homes to wounded and disabled veterans.

501 LIFE is the official media sponsor for the showcase home.

For more information, please call Beth Tyler at 501.730.5048 or Bret Franks at 501.680.1238.