History of TREACV

TREACV was founded on Veteran’s Day 2006, by several members of the Triangle’s real estate and construction community. They believed in three principles:

1. They are proud to have served their country in uniform.

2. They feel their civilian professions are honorable and contribute greatly to the Triangle's quality of life.

3. They are willing to continue serving their community, country and fellow veterans when a need arise.

Mission of TREACV

TREACV is a 100% veteran organization, and all members are working in the field of real estate and construction in the “Research Triangle” area of North Carolina (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill). The mission is threefold:

Camaraderie: Meet and enjoy fellowship with other veterans. We meet regularly to discuss the issues of the day, socialize, and have a good time.

Career Enhancement: Share best practices and contacts, to improve your business acumen and network. We see more business opportunities, individually and collectively, because of TREACV.

Continued Service: Apply your leadership and business talents to serve the Triangle’s recently disabled veterans. We’re working to provide low cost and no housing to disabled veterans of Middle Eastern wars.

History of 'Project Coming Home/Hero House'

At the second TREACV meeting, the group decided that a veteran-related community service project would be appropriate on many fronts: it would help other veterans, it would help us gel as a team, and would serve the community in which we live. We decided that given the real estate and construction skills possessed by the group, it would be possible to leverage knowledge and relationships towards building a veteran’s home.

TREACV learned HBA had entertained similar thoughts re: Veterans housing, but didn't know how to proceed with a veteran-specific, project-house.

In a surprisingly short span of time, the two organizations agreed their goals were compatible, and that each organization would benefit from the others expertise, contacts, and/or structure. Simultaneously, Andy Ladner, a staffer at HBA and former 82nd Airborne, introduced us to Patricia Driscoll, head of the Washington DC-based Arm Forces Foundation. Patricia offered our group the services of AFF to Help identify a needy vet.

With a few of the basics in place, HBA and TREACV held its first meeting this past September, at the home builders association office in Raleigh. The project itself is called "Operation: Coming Home."

The first Hero’s Home was delivered on October 27, 2008, just two years after the formation of TREACV. Perhaps not surprisingly, the response was overwhelmingly positive, with local businesses and volunteers rallying to the project. We received donations of a home site by Gaines and Company and Royal Oaks, homebuilding services by Atreus and Royal Oaks builders, materials and supplies from Stock Building Supply, and cash gifts from the Wake HBA and the Triangle Builders Guild. The official "handover of the keys" to Joey and Jayme Bozik, the first Operation: Coming Home "Hero's Home" family recipients, was completed with patriotic fanfare in a ceremony on Joey's "Alive Day" --October 27, 2008, exactly four years after the day when Joey regained consciousness from the explosion that cost him both legs and an arm.

Preparations are well underway for the Operation: Coming Home 2009/2010, and the group is exploring the possibility of expansion to other communities seeking to similarly support our returning troops. We encourage you to click on the "donate now" button on the website home page and help us in our effort to "welcome home" our returning warriors and their families!

Supporters, volunteers, people donating services (veterans and non-veterans)