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Local carpet stores raise money for veteran cause
By Kalea Hall
NORTH JACKSON
St. Francis of Assisi believed that while people have time, they should do good.
The late New York Firefighter Stephen Siller believed that and lived it.
And the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation that was created in his honor believes and promotes it.
Now, Carpet One stores throughout the nation hope to do good by asking customers to donate to one of the foundation’s programs: Building for America’s Bravest.
“We are going to donate ourselves,” said Chuck Booth, president and chief executive officer of the Don Booth Co., a carpet and flooring business in North Jackson. “We are going to give as much as we can.”
On Wednesday, area firefighters and law enforcement gathered at local Carpet One cooperatives, the Don Booth Co. and Biviano Carpet One Floor & Home in Girard, to hear the Stephen Siller story.
Retired Capt. Vince “Vinny” Doherty of the Fire Department of New York City provided the groups with vivid details of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center that killed more than 2,700.
He explained how Siller, a member of the special operations command like Doherty, was off duty from Squad 1, Park Slope, Brooklyn, but once he saw the first plane hit the North Tower he sprang into action.
He turned his car around from the golf outing he was headed to and went toward the towers. He couldn’t make it through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel because it was closed, so, naturally, he grabbed his 60 pounds of gear, put it on and started to run to the towers.
The father of five went in, and he never came out.
“He wanted to do good,” Doherty said. “He didn’t have to be there. He was off duty.”
His six siblings got together and decided to start the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation with the goal to honor those who make sacrifices for their country.
“They were able to start this foundation and start their model of doing good,” Doherty said. “It continued on, and it started bringing more and more money.”
The foundation started a Tunnel to Towers 5K run and walk in New York City, and later started to work with veterans in need of homes adapted to their needs. These are veterans with missing limbs in need of a home to comfortably live.
The first house was built by 2011 for a veteran missing all four limbs.
“We didn’t know where this was going to lead, but we knew we needed to continue this program,” Doherty said.
Carpet One Floor & Home got involved with the Building for America’s Bravest Program by donating materials for the homes.
To date, 15 homes have been completed, 14 are in the works are 12 are on the list. These homes are for veterans all over the nation, including one in Ohio that has been built and one in the works.
“We are committed to building 200 homes,” Doherty said.
But the cost to build the homes is high with the technology needed to help the veteran, so Carpet One stores around the nation are asking customers to donate to the cause.
We really want to see this happen,” said Lynn Biviano, co-owner of Biviano Carpet One. “I think it is something that isn’t very well known, but the need is very great.”
Biviano said the store plans to donate $10 per sale and ask customers if they would like to donate more.
“We, personally, would like to raise a couple thousand just from the store,” she said. “We really hope we have the opportunity to be a a part of a home.”
To express the foundation’s gratitude, Doherty brought a piece of the World Trade Center steel to local Carpet One stores and others.