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Scripps Networks Interactive Makes Volunteering a Priority!
This fall 23 volunteers from Scripps Networks Interactive paired up with local contractors and Rebuilding Together Knoxville to provide a home and yard makeover for a local veteran and his family.
Shawn Millsaps
Robert and Hilary Bogus live with their three children and two loveable boxers in a split-level home in the Ball Camp area. Robert is a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, where he served in both the Army and Marines. During his tour, he was injured by IED attacks while he was inside of an HMV
Because of his injuries, he has difficulty navigating stairs he and Hilary moved their bedroom to home’s basement level. There was no bathroom on that level, so Rebuilding Together Knoxville and local contractors sectioned off part of the garage and turned it into a handicap-accessible bathroom with a sink, toilet, large shower and a linen closet.
Annette Brun, who is a Rebuilding Together Knoxville volunteer and helped organize the project, said, “The work we did at the Robert and Hilary Bogus home last week was one of the most emotional and inspirational projects I’ve ever had the pleasure of working on, not only as a Scripps employee but as a volunteer for Rebuilding Together. Maybe because it was executed in the spirit of the Medal of Honor convention, or maybe it was because we had amazing homeowners who were grateful for every shovel of dirt, every stroke of paint, every ‘thank you for your service’ they heard.”
While the contractor crew worked inside, Scripps volunteers worked outside, installing landscaping based on a plan done by UT student and Scripps contractor, Ben Ford. New foundation planting, with shrubs from the HGTV Home Plant Collection, went on either side of the front door. In the back yard, volunteers planted two 15-foot oaks, set up new outdoor furniture from HGTV Home, added a water featureand spread 2 tons of pea gravel, 4 tons of sand and 20 yards of mulch – one wheelbarrow at a time. As Ben said, “A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this project.”
In addition to being part of #scrippscsr Volunteer Day 2014, this project was also part of Scripps’ celebration of the annual convention of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, held in Knoxville, TN this year. Two Medal of Honor recipients toured the home and chatted with Robert and Hilary on their newly refurbished deck.
The volunteer team worked incredibly hard and the result was an amazing transformation for the Bogus family and a day they not soon forget.”
