Pella provides new windows, accessible door for wounded Iowa veteran
Pella Corporation partners with Homes For Our Troops, VFW
PELLA, IA – November 12, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — Steve and Sue Ralston are honoring Veterans Day this year by remodeling their rural home outside Waterloo, Iowa, for a very special Iowa veteran.
The Ralstons are adding a wheelchair-accessible bedroom on their ground floor, renovating their dining room into a state-of-the-art rehabilitation center and converting their own bedroom into a living room. They’re hopeful these rooms will be finished by Christmas when their son, Ian Ralston, a 25-year-old U.S. Army combat medic, may be able to come home.
Ian remains at the Spinal Cord Injury Center at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital in Minneapolis. He was hospitalized after injuries suffered in May when he was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Iraq. While on convoy in his Stryker armored vehicle, Ian was severely injured and is now paralyzed from the neck down, requiring a ventilator to help him breathe. His sister Emerald and his girlfriend Nicole Sanders are part of the team providing around-the-clock care.
Emerald was serving in Afghanistan with the U.S. Air Force when her brother was injured. Her chain of command immediately flew her to Landstuhl, Germany, where she met her brother and has been with him ever since. She received a hardship discharge so she can be a permanent part of Ian’s health care team.
“We’re on schedule to bring Ian home on Dec. 21,” Steve, himself a veteran, said. “Serendipitously, that is also Nicole’s birthday so it’s going to be a huge gift for all of us.”
Moving forward
“We knew we had to do something to get ready for Ian’s return,” Steve said. The Cedar Falls Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) chapter sprang into action to help the Ralstons. “We talked to a few people and they began making calls about our plans,” Steve said.
One of those calls made by veterans groups on behalf of Ian, was to Cordell Burton, product qualification manager for Pella Corporation.
“I was contacted by the Iowa military mother who helps out the parents of wounded soldiers,” Burton said. “Pella and my team were among the many who donated time or products to help out.”
Pella Corporation partnered with the non-profit Homes for Our Troops and the VFW organization in Cedar Falls, Iowa, to help build the room addition and renovate the dining room and bedroom. Pella Corporation donated four two-wide composite energy-efficient ProLine® windows, an accessible door and two other windows.
“Pella values the tremendous sacrifices veterans make to maintain America’s freedom,” said Pella Spokesperson Kathy Krafka Harkema. “That’s why we’re pleased to partner with Homes for Our Troops and the Cedar Falls VFW to help make the Ralston’s home more accessible for Ian’s homecoming. The energy-efficient Pella windows will help keep the family comfortable in the rugged Waterloo winters and sizzling summers. Plus, the accessible door will make it easier for Ian to enter and exit the family home.”
Call to arms
Burton shared the Ralston’s story with his team members at Pella – who wanted to help with monetary donations and the product installations. In late October, Burton and teammate Pat Mink, engineering specialist at Pella, helped install the windows in Ian^s bedroom. A Pella doublewide glass door will soon be installed in the Ralston’s kitchen, opening onto the new wheelchair-accessible deck.
Mink said many of the contractors and builders involved in the project are U.S. veterans eager to help out. Mink, an Iraqi war veteran, served 16 months in combat with the Iowa National Guard.
“Veteran’s Day is about expressing your gratitude,” Burton said. “I expressed my gratitude to Steve and Sue Ralston for the sacrifices their family has made to help sustain our freedom and the freedom of the Iraqi people. We’re showing our appreciation for what they have done, and the continued sacrifices they and other soldiers and families will make for all of us.”
Additional resources:
- Universal design tips (how to make homes more accessible) fact sheet
- Homes for Our Troops website
How to help the Ralston family:
- Donations can be made to: Ian Ralston Benefit Fund, Veridian Credit Union, 1827 Ansborough Ave., Waterloo, IA 50701
Additional supplies/equipment needed for Ian’s homecoming:
- Exterior siding for the home
- Built-in dishwasher
- French door refrigerator with mid-level pull-out drawer
- Winter snow removal or snow plow to ensure the family’s driveway is clear and accessible for Ian’s medical appointments
About Pella
Pella Corporation is a leader in designing, testing, manufacturing and installing quality windows and doors for new construction, remodeling and replacement applications.
As a family-owned and professionally managed privately-held company, Pella is known for its 85-year history of making innovative products, providing quality service and delivering on customer satisfaction. Headquartered in Pella, Iowa, the company is committed to incorporating new technologies, increasing productivity and practicing environmental stewardship to create satisfied customers.
Pella manufactures quality windows, patio doors and entry door systems sold through a Direct Sales Network operating Pella Window & Door Showrooms across the United States and Canada. For more information, call 888-847-3552 or visit pella.com and select building materials retailers, including Lowe’s®. Follow Pella on Twitter.com @Pella_News.
