Charity Effort Raising Funds to Help Returning Veterans Adjust to Home Life After Their Service | UrbanToronto
The Canadian military is well-known for being peacekeepers overseas, with thousands of personnel currently deployed on missions all over the world. After years of service, veterans returning home can often face many challenges, including physical or mental limitations. While some injuries are visible, there are also countless soldiers suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The Carpenters’ District Council of Ontario (CDCO) is celebrating its twelfth year in supporting Renos for Heroes, a charity that assists in completing home renovation projects for returned soldiers who are transitioning back to home life after suffering from injuries or disabilities they acquired abroad.
Each project that Renos for Heroes undertakes relies on donated labour, tools and materials, along with money to purchase whatever else is needed. Durval Terceira, a CDCO union representative, has been leading the way in support of Renos for Heroes over the last eight years by leading walkathons to raise funds to support the charity.
Left to right: Durval Terceira, John Carvalho and David Aguiar, image courtesy of CDCO
“So far I’ve walked about 1,200 kilometres and raised over half a million dollars in donations,” said Terceria. “This year my goal is to raise $100,000.”
Terceira has completed some lengthly walks in the past, with one of his walks amounting to 130 kilometres from Oshawa to Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Over the past couple of years his walks have been much shorter due to the pandemic; last year he walked 30 kilometres, and this year, on his ninth walk, he will travel a total distance of 20 kilometres from the Carpenter’s Union hall in Vaughan, to Bathurst Street, and back. Next year he hopes to walk 100 kilometres.
“I don’t care if i have to walk by myself from here to France,” said Terceira, “as long as people donate I’m happy with it—home renovations cost a lot of money, and these veterans deserve it.”
Deck built by Renos for Heroes for a two-time Afghanistan Veteran, image courtesy of Renos for Heroes
Many veterans have benefitted from the program. “Normally we do between four and six projects every year,” said Mike Humphries, Military Outreach Liaison for the CDCO. Projects can range anywhere from a ramp to help make a home wheelchair-accessible, to building a fence to create privacy for someone who suffers from PTSD. “Usually projects are more of a need than a want,” said Humphries. “Our goal is to make sure veterans are getting what they need to live a good life upon their return home.”
Veterans are welcome to apply to the program on the Renos for Heroes website.
This year’s charity walk will be held on Saturday, September 25. You can register to join the walk, or donate to support Durval Terciera and Renos for Heroes here. Each participant will receive a Renos for Heroes t-shirt, hat and medal of participation.
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