In every neighborhood, there are quiet heroes who have chosen to dedicate their lives to serving others. At Holt Homes, we're proud that many of these community heroes - from teachers and first responders to healthcare workers and military service members - choose to make their homes with us. This Veteran's Day, we're honored to spotlight two of our own team members who exemplify this spirit of service: Doug Sims and Keith Purdy, both active members of the Oregon National Guard.
A legacy of service
For Staff Sergeant Doug Sims, now a site superintendent with Holt Homes, military service was both a practical choice and a deeply personal one. "I joined the National Guard initially to help pay for college, " Doug shares, "but it was also about fulfilling my father's dream." Doug's father had been unable to serve due to medical conditions, but his spirit of service lived on through his son's commitment.
For Specialist Keith Purdy, a field engineer at Holt Homes, the call to service came in the wake of September 11th. "I remember exactly where I was when the TV went on in my house," Keith recalls. "When your own country gets attacked, it hits harder at home. I felt a deep calling to serve and protect our country - to contribute to something greater than myself."
building skills, building communities
What many might not realize is how directly military service translates to building communities. Both Doug and Keith serve in vertical construction with the Corps of Engineers, bringing their military precision and training directly to our homeowners.
"My military career lines up perfectly with what we do at Holt," Doug explains. "As you go higher in the ranks, it starts to look more like a superintendent job. It gives me the confidence to lead trades around the job site and help other team members if they're struggling."
One of Doug's proudest moments came when his unit helped build a Special Olympics storage and training facility in Hawaii. "We got to meet the participants and participate in their events, " Doug shares, his face lighting up at the memory. "It helped me reflect that I'm not just putting on a uniform -- I'm out here in the community. I'm just such a small piece in a very big picture, but if you take a thousand-piece puzzle and take that one piece away, the puzzle is not complete."
Keith's dedication to community service was recently demonstrated during his deployment to fight wildfires, spending weeks sleeping in tents to protect local communities. He emphasizes how military service develops skills crucial for civilian careers: "The military really has a way of teaching you fast and giving you quality training. Whether it's electrical work, carpentry, or plumbing -- these are skills our communities desperately need."
THE MEANING OF HOME
For these service members, "home" carries special significance. Having experienced deployments and emergency response situations -- like Keith's recent weeks-long wildfire mission-- they understand the profound value of having a place to call your own.
"Home is where I feel comfortable and where I feel safe," Doug reflects. This understanding infuses their work at Holt Home, where they help create these sanctuaries for other families.
community heroes program
At Holt Homes, we recognize and honor this spirit of service through our Community Heroes program, offering $3,500 to active service members, teachers, first responders, and healthcare workers. It's our way of saying thank you to those who, like Doug and Keith, dedicate themselves to making our communities stronger and safer.
This Veterans Day, as we honor all who have served, we're especially proud to recognize the veterans and service members within our own Holt Homes family. They remind us that building a home is about more than construction -- it's about creating communities where heroes live next door.
To learn more about our Community Heroes program and how we support those who serve our communities, visit the following webpage.
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Posted: Nov 08. 2024