The management and employees of  three Missouri credit unions, the $1.3 billion Anheuser-Busch Employees, the $80 million River Region and the $178 Mid Missouri, were marking the 4^th of July holiday with a sense of achievement – getting the latest Homes for Our Troops structure built for a severely wounded Marine back from Afghanistan.

“You know one of the best parts is seeing the outpouring of financial support – more than $11,000 – we raised at our golf tournament held last May at a tiny course outside of Jefferson City,” said Dana Alderman, director of business development at River Region of Jefferson City.

Alderman along with her CEO, Rick Nichols, were among credit union executives and local dignitaries who attended the ground breaking ceremony June 15 to build a specially adapted home in Festus, outside St. Louis, for Marine Cpl. Justin McLoud, who lost both legs and an arm while serving his third tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Community members cheered and clapped as McLoud pulled up to a concrete slab that would soon become his future home. A caravan of 50 Patriot Guard Riders, police officers and firefighters escorted McLoud and his wife, Amber, to the HFOT site where credit union volunteers were taking the home from a concrete slab to a weather-tight structure in just one weekend.

“We're just pleased that even though we're some distance from Festus, we were able to get so many of our employees to make the trip to take part because they were so moved,” said Alderman.

At the June 15 ceremony, River Region's CEO surprised McLoud with $5,000 in Visa gift cards and another $6,000 in a Lowe's card.

Anheuser-Busch Employees also donated $10,000 to the effort and Mid Missouri has been involved from the start, as well, in the project coordinated by the Missouri Credit Union Association.

 River Region CEO Rick Nichols presents Justin McLoud and his wife with gift cards at the site of their new home.