'Bud Project' Update: 11/11/25 Veterans Day and Great News!!
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The 'Bud Project' is now 95% completed! We anticipate that he will be moving back home at the end of this week!
WGN-TV's Jackie Bange has put together a nice feature that will air on Thursday, November 13th. Our goal will be to generate donations to get our Bud Legacy Fund to an amount equal to (or in excess of) the in-kind donations from all of the contractors (~$70,000)!
Our hero, 'Bud' will celebrate his 106th birthday on Thursday, November 20th. Yes, you read it right…his 106th birthday!!
Bud was a 1LT in the 8th AF, 445th BG over northern and western Europe, with 35-successful combat missions (including D-Day over Utah Beach) as the pilot of the famed Fort Worth Maid B-24 Liberator at the age of just 24, in charge of a crew of 10-men!!
Our incredible Army of contractors are finishing up a complete upgrade to Bud's 70+ year old home in the NW Chicago suburbs. It is estimated these kind-hearted men and women have contributed approximately $70,000 in labor and materials!!
Our challenge to all of you...can you help us raise $70,000 (or more) to create a Legacy Fund for Bud and his caregiver daughter, Barb (herself in her 70's)?
This $70,000+ will provide them with a financial safety blanket for the inevitable expenses of in-home care (to provide relief for Barb), to provide facility skilled care if and when that time comes and the inevitable funeral expenses, all items they do not have the resources for at this time.
Their alternative is to re-mortgage the home, but we don't want Bud and Barb to be stressed over those items in the twilight of his years.
But first, please read this post https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1A7nbK4Wsy/
and look at the before and after pictures, because we all have an obligation to pay back our indebtedness to one remaining member of THE Greatest Generation...the ones who gave it their all 80+ years ago, to preserve our freedoms!!
PLEASE consider a donation so that on November 20th, at Bud's 106th birthday party, we can present Bud with the largest check he's ever seen!!
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Thanks to Vietnam Era Army Veteran Tim Finnegan for his AI video skills!
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Here's just a PARTIAL list of individuals and businesses involved in The Bud Project:
Rich Tado of Operation Horses and Heroes, Inc.: Local contact logistics!!!
Jeremy & Lindsay Velichkoff of TriStone Development: Fully handles the logistics as the General Contractor!!!
Frank Kominkiewicz & Salvador Aguilar of Refrigeration Experts HVAC: Complete new central air system; new furnace and humidifier!!!
Mark Toppel of Toppel Plumbing: Complete rework of existing and new plumbing supply and drains!!!
Mark Coffman of Automatic Fire Systems & First Supply: Donation & installation of a beautiful A. O. Smith high efficiency water heater!!!
Jim Stringham & Austin Galvan of Apex General Contracting: COMPLETE new roof on home, garage and vestibule!!!
Steve Franks of 3 Franks Services: COMPLETE new asphalt driveway!!!
Phil Saas & Tracy Stoll of J & S Electric and Sign, Inc.: COMPLETE relocation and installation of electric service to and within the home!!!
Allison Brock Dibbern & Bill Lee of Habitat for Humanity ReStores - McHenry and Woodstock: COMPLETE new ADA wheelchair ramp!!!
Jim DiVerde, Sr of Culver's: Master networking skills!!!
Keith Duggan and Michael Iwanicki of the Veterans Assistance Commission of McHenry County: Coordinating benefits for Bud!!!
Derek Elmore of Elmore Seamless Gutters: Replacement rain gutters!!!
VetsRoll.org Veterans Honor Trip to Washington DC: Logistics!!!
Lakeland Building Supply, Innovative Flooring & Design Inc., Residential Commercial Insulation, Force Management, Montes Painting & Drywall: For ALL their expertise in complete fit and finish of bathroom!!!
Pat Sullivan & Charlie Anderson of Taylor Plumbing: Plumbing upgrades!!!
Randy Schenck of Patriot Property Services, LLC.: Exterior yard landscaping (still to come)!!!
American Legion Post 57-Elgin: 106th Birthday party hosts
Bobby Capiello of Sunrise Tree Care: Removal and trimming of trees!!!
I will list others as I think of more!!
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Original Post:
In-light of all the negative news in the nation, this is the feel-good story of the year! 'The Bud Project'.
Spearheaded by Veteran charity non-profit VetsRoll, Inc® (NOTE: This is NOT a VetsRoll fundraiser or donation) dozens of selfless individuals, contractors and supporters have already come together to pledge thousands of dollars of in-kind upgrades. Read on...
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105-year old WWII Army Air Corps 445th BG Pilot, 1st LT 'Bud', resides in a NW Chicago suburb. 'Bud' will celebrate birthday #106 in November!
'Bud' flew an incredible 35-missions as a B-24 pilot over France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czechoslovakia and Germany...at the age of just 24, in charge of a crew of ten men!!!
This is a small way for complete strangers to step up and provide financial and living peace-of-mind for one of the few WWII Heroes still with us, the ones who saved the free world...the ones who lived history in color!
No politics involved...just doing the right thing for an aging American hero!
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'Bud' has lived in his home for more than 60-years and his daughter (herself in her 70's) is his loving caregiver.
While the home is still in nice shape structurally, they are direly in need of modern upgrades and making the bathroom accessible for 'Bud' to continue using.
Financially, 'Bud' has very modest means and the hope is for him to continue living there for the rest of his life as long as he is physically and mentally capable, or at least in comfort before he may have to go into assisted living.
He has no private health care, no professional in-home care, no visiting relief care for his daughter and no funeral funds, etc. Just a very, very loving family and friends.
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VetsRoll has reached out to a few of our awesome local contractors and other generous people who are donating/helping with the following:
Enrolling 'Bud' in a system for ALL of his VA Eligibility Programs and Benefits. (10/20 Update: In-process with McHenry County VAC)
Enrolled 'Bud' in the IL WWII Veteran Property Tax Forgiveness Program, saving 'Bud' in excess of $6000/year in property taxes! (10/20 Update: Done!)
Applying for Eligibility to be Buried at Arlington National Cemetery or in Normandy, France.
A general contractor has designed the entire bathroom remodel to make it wheelchair compatible! (10/20 Update: Design is done...fixtures ordered...drywall and tile being completed week of 10/20!)
R&R Exterior Central Air Unit & HVAC system! (10/20 Update: Installed week of 10/13!)
R&R Furnace! (10/20 Update: Done week of 10/13!)
R&R Water Heater! (10/20 Update: Week of 10/27!)
R&R Complete 70-year old bathroom and renovate to ~ADA with roll-in shower! (10/20 Update: Remodel, framework and drywall being completed week of 10/20!)
R&R All Bathroom Fixtures, Doors and Cabinets! (10/20 Update: All items ordered for completion week of 10/27!)
Install New Heat/Cool unit in Breezeway!
R&R All Applicable Wiring and Systems to Modern Code! (10/20 Update: In-process!)
R&R Original Cast Plumbing Drains and Lines! (10/20 Update: Done!)
Bring Non-Code Electrical and Plumbing (in work areas) to Modern Code! (10/20 Update: In-process!)
R&R Existing Gas Meter with New Meter and Gas Lines!
Installation of an ADA Compliant Ramp and Landings! (10/20 Update: Week of 11/6!)
R&R Entire Existing ~1500sf Roof Decking and Shingles...House, Breezeway and Garage!! (10/20 Update: Done week of 10/13!)
Installation of a new Gutter Guard system! (10/20 Update: Week of 10/27!)
R&R Entire Asphalt Driveway and Install New Drive!! (10/20 Update: Week of 11/3!!)
R&R Existing Yard Weeds and Landscape to Modern, Attractive Appearance! (10/20 Update: Week of 11/3)
Remove All Tree Limbs That are Currently Looking Bad! (10/20 Update: Week of 11/3!)
The total value of all these in-kind items is likely more than $70,000!!
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The goal is to have everything wrapped up by November 20th...'Bud's' 106th birthday!!
Now that the home project is underway, Chicago area media will be assisting with a 'Bud Project' Legacy Fund fundraiser. A Facebook page has been established for 'The Bud' Project':
Our goal will be to raise an amount equal to or in excess of what all these contractors have donated, to create a Legacy Fund for 'Bud's' financial peace of mind, so they don't have to mortgage the home in case of skilled care assistance, in-home assistance or a funeral expense.
The Elgin American Legion Post #57 has graciously offered to broker donations so they are tax deductible to the donors.
For the family's safety and security, we will never mention his real name (first or last) or the city that he resides in. Rather it will be called 'The Bud Project' and we will only refer to his nickname and NW Chicago suburbs.
If you know who the family is or the City involved, please keep it private for their security.
Organizer
Mark Finnegan
Organizer
Elgin, IL