HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (WXYZ) — Local organizations and Detroit Lions players came together Tuesday to renovate a decades-old veteran housing building in Highland Park, bringing new life to the facility.
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The beautification project at 211 Glendale involved several Lions players who spent hours helping to improve living conditions for the veterans who call the 1970s-era building home.
"Any time it gets presented, I feel like guys jump all over these community service events, cool to see them come out, so I mean we were gonna have to buckle up, so it's gonna be fun," Lions linebacker Jack Campbell said.
Campbell was among several Lions players who participated in the renovation work, which included painting, landscaping, and clearing flood-damaged items from the building's basement.
Lions kicker Jake Bates helped clear storage from the basement, explaining the extent of the damage.
"There was a flood down and a lot of stuff in this basement, closets and stuff, had been ruined and needed to be thrown out," Bates said.
Army veteran Talara Adetosoye expressed gratitude for the work being done by the Lions, the Sam Bernstein Law Firm, and the Stronger Warrior Foundation.
"I'm actually seeing it in action and motion," Adetosoye said. "Says I do care if you are living, having a decent place to live, up to date, freshly painted."
Marine Corps veteran Terry Almond, who has lived in the facility for five months after initially living in his car when he moved to Detroit from Georgia, appreciated the improvements.
"This is great man, this is great," Almond said. "Oh yeah, oh man, the place being painted, you know what I mean, they did some stuff with the wall, sort of some bug-proof stuff."
The project holds personal significance for Campbell, whose step-brother serves in the Navy and who has several family members who are veterans.
"It's just something that's meant a lot to me, it means a lot to me to allow them to know that there's people back here in the country that appreciate everything they do overseas and everything they've been through," Campbell said.
Chad Audi, president and CEO of Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries for 22 years, organized the community service event, emphasizing the importance of maintaining quality housing for veterans.
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