Fairway Independent Mortgage Gives a Home to Wounded Vet at Second Annual "Boot Ride and Rally" Event

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Aug. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, one of the country's largest mortgage bankers, has again joined forces with the Boot Campaign, a non-profit organization supporting returning American military troops, and the Military Warriors Support Foundation to donate a "mortgage free" house to a military war veteran and Purple Heart recipient. On Sunday, August 26^th, Juan Castaneda, Jr., an Iraq War veteran, received the keys to his new three-bedroom home during the 2^nd Annual Boot Ride and Rally in Hollywood, California.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120828/FL64312 )

Fairway representatives joined the Boot Campaign's "Boot Girls" and the stars of the hit FX drama "Sons of Anarchy" in Hollywood, where 450 bikers "got their boots on" and coasted down the Sunset Strip to raise funds for the Boot Campaign's partner charities. The Boot Ride culminated at a rally at The Happy Ending Bar and Restaurant with a live performance by Blackberry Smoke and red carpet appearances by Sons of Anarchy cast members and other celebrities.

The most memorable part of the event was when Castaneda was handed the keys to a mortgage-free, tax-free home located in Fullerton, California. Castaneda, the son of a Vietnam War veteran, joined the Army in 2005 and was stationed to the 82nd Airborne Field Artillery Regiment at Ft. Bragg in North Carolina. He served in Iraq and was injured on August 31, 2006 in an ambush near Ad Dwar. Castaneda suffered a fully collapsed left eardrum and other head injuries and underwent four major surgeries. He received the Purple Heart along with other medals and honors, and hopes to finish school and raise a family. Castaneda is the proud parent of a two-year-old daughter. "I want to thank Fairway," Castaneda said. "This new home means the world to me and my family."

"Juan Castaneda has made enormous sacrifices for our country, as have so many others before him," said Steve Jacobson, CEO of Fairway. "Juan's strength and perseverance in the face of his challenges are truly remarkable. It is stories like his that have inspired Fairway to help American veterans fulfill their dreams of home ownership. Juan's new home is a reflection of the admiration, gratitude and respect we have for all wounded warriors."

Fairway has been an avid supporter of the Boot Campaign for more than a year and a half. Several Fairway employees pledged over $20,000 in donations per month for the next 12 months in order to give away additional mortgage-free homes to wounded veterans. The money is being used by the Military Warriors Support Foundation to cover the costs of repairing, renovating and retrofitting homes, along with the first year of property taxes and three years of financial counseling.

Founded in Tyler, Texas, the Boot Campaign supports a number of national charities aimed at improving the lives of American veterans. Fairway's involvement with the Boot Campaign began with branch manager Louise Thaxton, who operates offices near two military bases in Louisiana—the Army base at Fort Polk and Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City. For many years, Thaxton and her team have focused on providing mortgage loans to military personnel.

"At Fairway, we're dedicated to supporting all American troops, both active military and veterans," says Thaxton, who presented the keys to Castaneda's new home at the Boot Ride in Rally. "Our deepest thanks go to Juan as well as the Boot Campaign for giving us the opportunity to give back and for putting on such an incredible event."

The Boot Campaign

The Boot Campaign is a grassroots military appreciation and veteran awareness campaign started by five women from Texas, known as the Boot Girls. The Boot Girls launched the Boot Campaign in 2009 to spread awareness of the needs of military personnel returning home from combat and express gratitude to current military. Through the sale of military combat boots, the Boot Campaign donates proceeds to a group of partner charities that work with soldiers healing from a variety of physical and emotional combat wounds, embodying the campaign motto that, "When They Come Back, We Give Back." For more information, visit www.BootCampaign.com.

About Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation

Founded in 1996 by Steve Jacobson and Dean Anderson, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation is a mortgage banker headquartered in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. The company has 129 locations and 1,300 employees nationwide. The corporate vision is to foster relationships and create a team atmosphere, empowering offices to operate autonomously in their day-to-day operations, while still maintaining strict compliance and consistency across the board. Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation provides all necessary support in the areas of personnel, accounting and compliance. For more information, please visit www.FairwayIndependentMC.com.

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