Home Show Ends, but Donations to Help Local Soldier Keep Coming

Duquesne Light used the 2007 Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show to raise local awareness of Home for our Troops' work to assist a Coraopolis soldier – Spc. James Fair – who was disabled in Iraq. The Pittsburgh community responded emphatically to that call for help, providing Homes for our Troops with a great start in its efforts to construct a home, at no cost to James and his family, which is carefully and thoroughly adapted to meet his special needs. A bomb explosion in November 2003 left James completely blind and took both of his hands. The blast also sent shrapnel throughout his body, severely injuring his right leg and causing a traumatic brain injury. In support of the Homes for our Troops project, home show attendees and vendors, along with other donors, have contributed a total of $250,000 in materials, services and cash. Those contributions included a $100,000 pledge from an anonymous donor to purchase the property. On April 30, Homes for our Troops broke ground on James’ home at a real estate lot in Ross Township. "It's amazing how far this has come," said John Gonsalves, founder and president of Massachusetts-based Homes for our Troops. "We really want to thank Duquesne Light for all that it's done. It has been a fabulous effort." This year's Homes for our Troops project is the latest example of how Duquesne Light uses its title sponsorship of the home show to successfully lend a helping hand to special causes in the Pittsburgh region, noted Morgan O’Brien, president and chief executive officer. At previous home shows, the company supported Habitat for Humanity’s efforts to provide low-income families with affordable housing, and assisted local residents whose homes were damaged by hurricane-induced flooding. "Through this venue, we’ve been able to gather community spirit to assist our neighbors in need," O’Brien said. "Considering that community spirit, it’s no wonder that Pittsburgh, once again, has been voted the country’s most livable city." The home show ran March 9-18 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. Home show attendees who made a minimum donation of $5 could sign a personal message to James and his family on Duquesne Light's 6-by-40-foot donation wall. Donations still are being accepted. Send checks -- made payable to Homes for our Troops -- to Duquesne Light, Homes for our Troops, Mail Drop 16-4, 411 Seventh Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15230-1930. To make an online donation to the project, go to www.homesforourtroops.org. For More Information Watch a KDKA-TV feature on James and the Homes for our Troops project. Read online stories from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ( 1, 2 ), Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ( 1, 2 ), and Beaver County Times ( 1 ). View a flier that will be distributed at the home show. Following are photographs taken at the home show:
	Home show attendees sign one of Duquesne Light's two 6-by-40-foot donation walls.
	Donors filled the walls with almost 2,000 special messages for James Fair and his family.
	Posters at Duquesne Light's donation booth tell the story of Homes for our Troops' efforts to assist James Fair.
	James Fair and his family visit Duquesne Light's donation booth during the show.
	A Duquesne Light employee volunteer talks with James Fair. More than 150 employees volunteered their time to assist at the show.
	James shares a laugh with the Pirate Parrot.
	Children create get-well cards for injured soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital. The cards will be delivered after the home show.