The Blue Star Moms are helping a Marine Corporal from Loomis build a house by holding a 5K and 1-mile Run / Walk to benefit Homes for Our Troops on Saturday October 4th in Susanville Ranch Park. Homes For Our Troops is a privately funded nonprofit organization building specially adapted, mortgage-free homes nationwide for the most severely injured Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.
All of the money raised at the October event will go directly to help build Marine Corporal Joshua Hotaling’s home in Loomis, California.
According to the Homes for Troops organization Marine Corporal Joshua Hotaling was on his first deployment when he suffered the traumatic amputations of both of his legs and severe hand injuries in an IED blast in Sangin, Afghanistan on May 13th, 2011.
The Mine Sweeper of 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, Cpl Hotaling was sent to clear a compound in order to secure a place for his Marines to sleep that night. Immediate aid was rendered by his team who worked to save his life and prepare him for medical transport. Never losing consciousness, Cpl Hotaling remembers the sights and sounds that surrounded his evacuation including being carried on a litter past Afghan villagers who witnessed the events.
Transported to Bagram Air Force Base, Cpl Hotaling was rushed into surgery to try to stop his blood loss and repair the artery in his right wrist. Unfortunately the surgery was not successful, necessitating the eventual amputation of his thumb and part of his index finger. Next airlifted to Landstuhl, Germany, Joshua arrived two days after the blast to see his mother standing at his bedside.
Knowing then that he was seriously injured and unable to speak while connected to a respirator Joshua pointed to letters on a board to spell out a message asking if any of his buddies had been hurt as well. He was relieved to learn that he was the only one injured that day.
Arriving at Bethesda after spending two days in Germany, he would remain there for two and a half months enduring surgeries and therapies before being transferred to Balboa Naval Medical Center in San Diego where he continued to receive treatment until his retirement in February 2013.
Hotaling will be a special guest at the Blue Star Moms fundraiser on October 4th.
Check in for the Run / Walk is 8:00a.m., and the main event is at 9:00.
Cost to register is $20 for 12 years to adult, $10 for 7 to 11 and free for 6 and under. (Shirts for kids can be ordered for additional $10 fee)
There will also be raffle prizes and bake sale to raise money.
To make a contribution or to register click here and download the printable registration form. For more information contact the Soaring Eagle Blue Star Moms at (530) 310-4367.
