Fairway Independent Mortgage Partners To Present Purple Heart Recipient With Mortgage-Free Home At Military Celebration In Louisiana

LEESVILLE, La., Nov. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, one of the country's largest mortgage bankers, is once again joining forces with the Boot Campaign and the Military Warriors Support Foundation, non-profit organizations supporting returning American military troops, to present a "mortgage free" home to a wounded military veteran and Purple Heart recipient. U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Edward Cummings, who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and his family will be honored as part of Operation Grateful Nation, a special celebration being held in honor of American veterans on Saturday, Nov. 10^th in Leesville, Louisiana.

A New Hampshire native stationed at nearby Fort Polk, Louisiana, Cummings made it his goal to join the military following the 9/11 attacks, while he was a freshman in high school. Cummings was deployed to Iraq as a Reconnaissance Team Leader between 2007 and 2009 and to Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011. On January 24, 2011, while serving as a squad leader for a scout platoon in the Logar province of Afghanistan, Cummings was struck in the knee by enemy fire. While his injury meant he could no longer serve as an infantryman, after undergoing six months of physical therapy in the U.S., Cummings volunteered to return to Afghanistan, where he completed his deployment. Cummings plans to use the GI Bill to earn a bachelor's degree. He and his wife, April, are expecting their first child.

Said Louise Thaxton, director of Fairway's Military Mortgage Division, who operates offices near Fort Polk: "Many of us in Louisiana have heard Staff Sergeant Cummings' story and we are truly proud to have a real American hero in our midst. He not only sustained a life-altering injury, but then he returned to the battlefield—which shows tremendous courage and commitment. We are incredibly grateful for the sacrifices that Staff Sergeant Cummings and so many other servicemen and women and their families have made for our freedom."

Fairway Independent Mortgage is a proud supporter of the American military and has helped thousands of active troops and veterans nationwide realize their homeownership dreams. Fairway employees have pledged several hundred thousand dollars in donations over a 12-month period to help provide mortgage-free homes to veterans in association with the Boot Campaign, a non-profit organization supporting returning American military troops, and made possible through the Military Warriors Support Foundation's Homes 4 Wounded Heroes program.

After acquiring distressed properties from financial institutions, the Military Warriors Support Foundation uses funds provided by Fairway to provide accommodations and modifications for the specific heroes. In addition to the home, the families receive three years of family and financial mentoring. The Cummings' new three-bedroom, two-story home, located in Edward Cummings' hometown of Manchester, New Hampshire, was donated by Chase Bank.

Cummings and his family will be honored at a special presentation during Operation Grateful Nation, a daylong celebration honoring veterans of the United States military with special emphasis this year on Vietnam veterans. The event will also include skydivers jumping with a U.S. flag and posting of the colors for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. A Fallen Soldier Ceremony to memorialize those lost in all wars will follow the posting of the colors. The event takes place at 10 a.m. at the Vernon Parish Fairgrounds, located at 276 H M Stevens Blvd. in Leesville. The public is welcome.

Combat wounded veterans or unmarried Gold Star spouses of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom are encouraged to apply for a mortgage-free home by visiting www.MilitaryWarriors.org/openhomes.

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 145 locations and approximately 1,400 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.

About the Boot Campaign

The Boot Campaign is a 501c3 non-profit military appreciation and veteran awareness campaign based in Texas.  Launched in 2009 by a group of women known as The Boot Girls, the Boot Campaign's mission is to express gratitude to the troops, spread awareness of the needs of military personnel and support their transition home.  Through the sale of signature military combat boots, General Public Donations, and Corporate Sponsorship the Boot Campaign donates proceeds to programs caring for military personnel, past and present, healing them from a variety of physical and emotional combat wounds, embodying the campaign motto that, "When They Come Back, We Give Back".  www.BootCampaign.com

Military Warriors Support Foundation

Military Warriors Support Foundations (MWSF) a 501c3 was founded in 2007 by General Leroy Sisco, retired 3-star general and the organization's CEO. General Sisco brings 42 years of service to our country and a rich background of experiences and leadership roles. The General has a great understanding of the many challenges our heroes face after being injured in service and is determined to assist those in greatest need. MWSF is based in San Antonio, Texas.

MWSF awards mortgage-free homes to wounded heroes injured during combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. The homes are for families who have severe and/or unique circumstances due to their injuries received while serving our country. In addition to the home, the families receive 3 years of family and financial mentoring. Families may apply for a home by visiting www.MilitaryWarriors.org and completing the application form. 

PRESS CONTACTS
Warren Lutz
Strategic Vantage Mortgage Public Relations
(925) 270-3941
[email protected]

Rosalie Berg
Strategic Vantage Mortgage Public Relations
(305) 971-5352
[email protected]

SOURCE Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation