Veteran Sgt. Roy Wilbur's homecoming to his St. Augustine residence was marked by the completion of a comprehensive rehabilitation project that has fully upgraded his living conditions, thanks to the combined efforts of local government, volunteers, and nonprofit organizations. St. Johns County reports the renovated home now features ADA accessibility, running water, and air conditioning, amenities that had fallen into disrepair over the years.
With over 40 years under his belt living in the same house, Wilbur, a highly decorated U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam War veteran who was awarded the Bronze Star for heroic achievement and has earned two Purple Hearts, saw his home fall into a state of neglect culminating in significant structural and safety hazards; the rehabilitation work included the installation of ADA-accessible bathrooms, new structural framing, HVAC systems, siding, flooring, and a kitchen renovation to address these concerns. "I thank everyone who participated and everyone who came out and done what they could do, and everyone who supports me," Sgt. Wilbur told St. Johns County, "This is great, man. This is real."
The completion of the project was celebrated with a ceremony featuring speeches from District 2 County Commissioner Sarah Arnold and Congressman John Rutherford. Arnold noted Sgt. Wilbur's significance to the community, declaring, "Mr. Wilbur is an icon in this town," and "He is part of the fabric of West Augustine," as cites the county's website. District 3 County Commissioner Clay Murphy was also in attendance and was quoted saying, "This is an amazing feat. This neighborhood came together; this community came together."
The rehabilitation project was a collaborative effort, leveraging funds from St. Johns County's Housing Rehabilitation Program which, according to the County's announcement, helped 37 residents in just 2024 with an investment totaling $1.9M for diverse repairs prioritizing code, safety, and health concerns the fulcrum for the investment is to tackle housing issues both immediate and potential, to avert further deterioration and maintaining the habitation of the homes by the residents. The project's success hinged on the contributions of volunteer services and in-kind labor, including work by Builders Care and the Heroes Ride and volunteers from Operation Lifeline Inc., reaffirming the community's capability to support its veterans and elderly residents."
Executive Director Erick Saks of Operation Lifeline Inc. acknowledged the challenge and fulfilling triumph of the rehabilitation effort, stating, "When we first walked in, we didn’t know if we could take this on," and "But when we were able to work with the County through two different programs, through CDBG and SHIP, and then work with our partners, we got this all together. It was such a huge undertaking, that’s what makes this so special," as per details on St. Johns County official communications.
