St. Louis, Miss.—The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) has provided flooring for its 60th home in support of the Gary Sinise Foundation R.I.S.E. program (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment). The R.I.S.E. program builds custom, specially adapted smart homes for severely wounded veterans and first responders. The home dedication for United States Army staff sergeant (Ret.) Jason Tabansky took place on Nov. 11 in San Antonio, Texas. Flooring for the project was donated by NWFA member Mullican Flooring, according to the company.
Staff Sergeant Tabansky enlisted in the Army in December 2000 as a Chinook helicopter mechanic and was deployed to Kandahar, then Taji, Iraq. In Sept. 2015, he became paralyzed from the chest down following a routine demonstration of a new Chinook helicopter in London, England.
“Through extensive physical therapy, staff sergeant Tabansky has regained control of his hands, which has helped him to regain some independence,” said NWFA president and CEO, Michael Martin. “His specially adapted smart home will help contribute to his continued recovery as well. We’re honored to partner with Mullican Flooring to provide beautiful wood floors for his new home.”
In addition to completing its 60th home, NWFA said it is currently working with its members to source wood flooring for 12 additional R.I.S.E. homes in various stages of planning and construction. Currently, 143 NWFA member companies have donated product, logistics and installation services in locations throughout the United States, with a total value of more than $5.7 million, according to the company. A list of all NWFA R.I.S.E. participating companies can be found here.