ST. LOUIS — Missouri credit unions taking part in their own charitable “Homes for The Troops” project, an offshoot of CUNA's successful venture at the Presidential party conventions this summer, settled on the first recipient this week plus a new site for the first home.

Selected for the first specially adapted home to be built is Army Specialist Scott West of Branson who lost his legs below the knee in Iraq when his Humvee was hit by a roadside bomb.

In a change of plans, Mid Missouri CU of Fort Leonard Wood joined by Anheuser-Busch Employees of St. Louis, the two lead CU coordinators for the fund-raising project, said the new home will be erected in Branson rather than at the Army base in Fort Leonard Wood because Specialist West lives there “and that is what he needs.” A second home is to be built for another injured war veteran in St. Louis.

The leadership of Mid Missouri, which acted as a project catalyst for the Missouri Credit Union Association, coordinated selection of sites and recipients with the Massachusetts non-profit agency, Homes for Our Troops, which with CUNA's help built two homes in Denver and St. Paul during the Democratic and GOP conventions.

As part of the $400,000 fund raising, the president of Homes for Our Troops, John Gonsalves, will meet with CEOs of Missouri CUs at Anheuser Busch offices next Tuesday and later during the week with the media in Branson.