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A local U.S. Marine veteran has been warmly welcomed to Mead, where he’ll soon be moving into a home tailor-made for his physical needs.
Zachary Dinsmore, who currently lives in Berthoud, is receiving his new residence from Homes For Our Troops, a national nonprofit that donates these homes to severely injured post-9/11 military veterans. Dinsmore lost part of his leg while serving in Afghanistan, and his custom home will be designed to improve access and mobility within his living space.
“It is truly life-changing,” Dinsmore said of the opportunity to have a new home.
On Saturday, around 50 people visited Guardian Angels Catholic Church in Mead to celebrate the launch of the construction project. Dinsmore and his family were escorted to the church by a motorcycle and police brigade, and guests welcomed them inside by cheering and waving American flags.
Marine veteran Zachary Dinsmore is cheered on by his parents, Tara and Mike Dinsmore. Homes For Our Troops, a national nonprofit group, will build a home for Dinsmore and his family. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
The ceremony was coordinated by Homes For Our Troops, with staff from the nonprofit attending in person to introduce Dinsmore to the Mead community.
“Community is absolutely vital to our veterans rebuilding their lives,” said Bill Ivey, executive director of Homes For Our Troops. “We build where the veteran wants to live…and (Dinsmore) chose to live right here in Mead.”
Mead mayor Colleen Whitlow told Dinsmore she was excited and humbled that he chose to settle down in Mead.
“In this town, you and your family are not alone,” Whitlow told Dinsmore. “Our community is here to support you every step of the way.”
Other elected officials also attended, including state representative Ryan Armagost, whose district encompasses Mead, and Weld County Commissioner Scott James.
Dinsmore’s former squad member, Milan Franklin, shared how much he personally has benefited from living in an adapted home and how glad he is to see Dinsmore receive one.
“There’s so many features about them that you don’t even think about,” Franklin said. “You can really see the impact these homes have on relieving some of that stress, and making it easier and less dangerous for a veteran to be home by themselves.”
Dinsmore damaged his left leg during his second combat tour in 2011, triggered by stepping on an improvised explosive device. He decided to receive a below-the-knee amputation in 2014 after undergoing multiple surgeries. He now uses a prosthetic leg.
Marine veteran Zachary Dinsmore, right, is hugged by his father, Mike Dinsmore. Homes For Our Troops, a national nonprofit group, is going to build an adapted home for Dinsmore and his family, He was injured while serving in Afghanistan. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Dinsmore explained that his current two-story home has a lot of stairs and an upstairs bedroom; he also has to remove his prosthetic and stand on one leg when he takes a shower. The one-story, 4,000-square-foot home that Dinsmore will be moving into eliminates those challenges by making small but important modifications, such as lowering the height of countertops.
The home will be constructed by Lafayette-based contractor Built By Krueger and could be finished as soon as August. Dinsmore said he’s especially excited to play games in his new home with his young son, Barrett, without having to navigate stairs or other obstacles.
After the ceremony, guests had the opportunity to sign wooden boards that will be used in the construction of Dinsmore’s house. Several messages included the words “Thank you for your service,” and “Welcome home.”
“None of this would be possible without the support of the community,” Dinsmore said.
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