A Rincon soldier who calls Effingham County ‘home’ will soon have a new home thanks to a national nonprofit.
The national nonprofit organization, Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) will donate a home to Army Sergeant Matthew Watters this coming Saturday. SGT Watters was severely injured while serving in Iraq.
On June 11, 2003, SGT Watters, a team leader, was on a raid on a terrorist training camp in Western Iraq when he was struck in the leg by a rocket propelled grenade (RPG). He lost his left leg below the knee and sustained severe damage to his right leg and left arm.
Receiving a specially adapted custom HFOT home will enable SGT Watters to rest and recover in his wheelchair. The financial stability of a donated home will allow him to focus on his career with Daniel Defense, an arms manufacturer, and give him the freedom to spend more time with his children and grandchildren.
SGT Watters’ new home features more than 40 major special adaptations such as widened doorways for wheelchair access, a roll-in shower, and kitchen amenities that include pull-down shelving and lowered countertops. The home will also alleviate the mobility and safety issues associated with a traditional home, including navigating a wheelchair through narrow hallways or over thresholds, riding on carpets, or reaching for cabinets that are too high. HFOT will donate the home to SGT Watters, thanks to contributions from donors, supporters, and corporate partners.
Matthew wants HFOT’s donors and supporters to know the freedom he will regain from his new home will enable him to give back to others. “This opportunity will be a huge blessing to my family—and one I can use to better myself and my community. I believe in paying it forward, and I will use my time to better my community through teaching, volunteering, and setting an example for others to follow.”
Currently, there are over 70 active projects underway nationwide. To find out more on how to get involved or make a donation visit www.hfotusa.org.
The ceremony will take place on Saturday, February 22, 2025. The event will be held at Chateau 180, 1800 McCall Rd, Rincon, GA 31326 at 10 a.m. (Check-in at 9:30 a.m.) The public is welcome to attend and tour the home after the ceremony.
