RALEIGH, N.C., April 14, 2014 – Operation: Coming Home, a joint volunteer project by the Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County (HBA), the U.S. Veterans Corps, Preston Development and M/I Homes, along with various area nonprofits and businesses, presented the keys to its seventh Hero Home to U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Oliver “Ollie” Hughes, a former contractor and Purple Heart recipient. Held Thursday, April 10, the ceremony honored Staff Sgt. Hughes, who was severely injured by an IED explosion while serving in Afghanistan in April 2011. The home is located in Fuquay-Varina’s South Lakes neighborhood.

On hand for the celebration were Staff Sgt. Hughes and family members; U.S. Army General Cornell Wilson, military advisor to Gov. Pat McCrory; U.S. Army Sgt. 1st class Jonathan Grundy, 82nd Airborne Division liaison to Fort Belvoir and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center; Mayor John W. Byrne of Fuquay-Varina; the USO of North Carolina; representatives from the Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County (HBA) and members of the U.S. Veterans Corps. The ceremony included addresses by Tim Minton, president of the Operation: Coming Home Foundation and executive vice president of the HBA; Ed Kristensen, area president of M/I Homes, the builder of the seventh Hero Home; representatives from Preston Development and the U.S. Army. Hughes and his family were in attendance, as were Operation: Coming Home foundation, volunteers and project donors. The ceremony also featured a performance by the 82nd Airborne All-American Chorus.

For more information on Operation: Coming Home and the construction of the eighth Hero Home, visit http://www.operationcominghome.com.

QUOTES:

“We are humbled by the support we have received throughout the greater Triangle community and the country for Operation: Coming Home and our seventh Hero Home,” said Minton, president of the Operation: Coming Home Foundation. “Sgt. Hughes and his family are incredibly deserving of a home where they can grow and thrive as a family, and we are indebted to him for his service.”

“Having owned my own construction business, I know that building a house is no small undertaking,” said Sgt. Hughes. “My family and I are excited to move in and start a new chapter in our lives, especially as we are preparing to welcome another child in May. I hope to serve as an inspiration to other military veterans who strive toward achieving the dream of home ownership.”

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Operation: Coming Home on Facebook:

http://on.fb.me/p36FMG

ABOUT OPERATION: COMING HOME:

Operation: Coming Home is a joint volunteer project by the Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County (HBA), and various area nonprofits and businesses. The project builds and donates homes for disabled combat veterans who have served in the Middle East, after a selection committee interviews candidates to determine the best fit. For more information, visit http://operationcominghome.com.

ABOUT M/I HOMES:

Founded in 1976, M/I Homes has established an exemplary reputation of superior customer service, innovative design, quality construction and premium locations. Each new M/I home is built with quality and care, which is why M/I Homes has earned the reputation of being a trustworthy builder with integrity. By keeping the home buyer involved every step of the way through their Confidence Builder Program, M/I Homes removes the stress of buying a home.

M/I Homes, Inc. is one of the nation’s leading builders of single-family homes, having delivered over 78,000 homes. The Company’s homes are marketed and sold under the trade names M/I Homes and Showcase Homes. M/I Homes has homebuilding operations in Charlotte, NC - Chicago, IL - Cincinnati, OH - Columbus, OH - Indianapolis, IN - Maryland - Virginia – San Antonio, TX – Houston, TX - Raleigh, NC - Orlando, FL - Tampa, FL.

In the Triangle, find M/I Homes in 14 exceptional communities in Raleigh, Cary, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Durham, Clayton, Carrboro and Chapel Hill. Visit us on www.MIHomes.com/News or by calling toll free 877-464-8818 to find out more.

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