Army Sergeant Aaron Jolly was on his 2nd deployment when he was left paralyzed from the waist down in an IED blast in Pakhabe’ Shana in Eastern Afghanistan on March 19, 2011. The driver of the MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle), SPC Jolly and his teammates had entered the village on a peaceful mission, bringing Afghan and Jordanian soldiers to inspect the four local mosques for structural repairs that NATO and the Afghan government might help pay for, and bringing soccer balls to the village children. Upon arrival they received a cool reception from the village elders and rocks were thrown over mud walls by the local youth. A group of villagers diverted the convoy to exit through an alley, purposely sending them to the location of the buried IED.

Airlifted to the local hospital, SPC Jolly required resuscitation before enduring his first two surgeries. He was flown to Landstuhl, Germany two days later. Arriving at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on March 27th, SPC Jolly was treated in the ICU and Neuroscience ward before being transferred to the James A, Haley VA in Tampa, FL where he remained for seven months.

Despite his injuries, Aaron has taken an active parenting role and relishes all family activities. SPC Jolly enjoys do-it-yourself projects, working on cars, and playing video games. A sports fan, he enjoys basketball, football, and table tennis and most enjoys supporting local high school sports teams. Aaron would like to earn a degree in Computer Technology and hopes to work in the computer field in the future.

When asked what living in a specially adapted home would mean to him SPC Jolly shared the following: “Thank you for your support. Without it, I would not have this opportunity to be the father that I truly want to be. After spending more than six months searching for an adapted or adaptable home, I could not find anything that met my specific needs. Knowing that Homes for Our Troops will provide me with this amazing gift helps lessen the stresses I deal with on a daily basis. Thank you for all you are doing for me.”

To participate in this event please go to SGT Aaron Jolly's Page at Homes For Our Troops and sign up as a volunteer, they have many items they need, and they have many positions for all, from photographers to hands on building of the home, they need you!

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops and Wounded Warriors Project

If you are anywhere near this event I highly recommend joining in and helping out. You don't need any construction experience as they have a team of builders and contractors who show you what they need. Anything from moving 2x4's to picking up up cut-offs to being a set of hands to tilt up the pre-framed walls to carrying bottles of water to other workers. Anyone and everyone can make a difference in this project and you will get a lot out of being a part of it meeting and working alongside a lot of great people and talking with the house recipient and their family. Even kids can get involved and help as well. The HFOT folks are top notch and it is a lot of fun.

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Allen Worsham
Corona, CA

allenworsham@earthlink.net

'Graze in every man's field, but always give your own milk' J. Vernon McGee

“Our greatest fear should not be that we won’t succeed, but that we will succeed at something that doesn’t matter.â€
D.L. Moody