Wilmington veteran Josh Sams receives furniture

Wilmington veteran Josh Sams receives furniture

$13K donations go to fill donated home

By Nathan Kraatz

[email protected]

Josh Sams

Ben Martin carries in furniture from Morris Furniture’s donation to Josh Sams, who was injured in Afghanistan while serving in the United States Marine Corps. In all, Morris presented almost $13,000 in donated furniture to Sams.

WILMINGTON, Ohio — Josh Sams, who received a home in May from Homes for Our Troops, has received furniture to fill that home thanks to almost $13,000 in donations.

The donation comes just before Veterans Day, next Wednesday, Nov. 11.

United States Marine Corps Cpl. Sams, a scout sniper, lost both his legs when he stepped on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan during a routine foot patrol. He received 19 months of treatment in Bethesda, Maryland at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Sams has worked hard to get his life back on track, learning how to walk using prosthetic limbs, finishing his criminal justice degree and working as a third-shift dispatcher for the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office.

Fairborn-based Morris Furniture Co., Inc. provided the furniture picked out by Sams and doubled funds raised through a PNC Bank account for its purchase. Veterans of Foreign Wars Huber Heights Memorial Post 3283 assisted with the project, raising funds for the account.

“It makes life easier,” Sams said of the donation. “Getting all the furniture … will just complete the home and make it feel like it’s whole.”

Sams received two bedroom sets, a dining room set and some bar stools.

“Just getting up every day and seeing it, knowing that it has come from the community is their thanks to me in appreciation of what I’ve done,” Sams said, adding that he feels blessed.

Morris Furniture officials said they wanted to give Sams furniture to help make his home great.

“When we heard that this family was receiving a brand new home without furniture, we knew had to help them,” said Morris president and chief executive officer Larry Klaben, in a prepared statement. “It’s part of our company mission to ‘Make Homes Great,’ especially for someone who sacrificed so much for our country. I’m happy to welcome Josh into his new home and I (am) honored to be able to help him furnish this beautiful new home.”

Sams received a newly constructed and handicapped-accessible home in Wilmington through the generosity of Homes for Our Troops, an organization that builds new homes for injured veterans.

Morris and PNC Bank asked the community to help by making a donation for Sams at a PNC Bank branch. Morris Furniture matched every dollar raised for Sams – which totaled nearly $6,800 after the account was closed in October, giving Sams almost $13,000 in new furniture. The furniture will be provided from Morris Furniture showrooms – Morris Home Furnishings, Ashley Furniture HomeStore and the Better Sleep Shop.

Reach Nathan Kraatz at 937-382-2574, ext. 2510 or on Twitter @NathanKraatz.

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