Veterans retreat in Lee receives significant donation to pay off loans

LEE, Maine (WABI) - The best gifts aren’t always found under the tree.

For the Founders of House in the Woods, a therapeutic retreat for veterans, the best gift was peace of mind.

Earlier this month, a couple who wanted to remain anonymous, donated the remaining $1.4 million that they still owed on their facility.

“It was such a heavy weight for me to think oh my goodness we are borrowing so much money. How are we ever going to pay that off,” said Dee House, Co-Founder of the retreat.

With that weight lifted, they can focus on their true mission.

Offering recreational retreats and a sense of community to our veterans.

“We’re going to be able to do more with more veterans. So it’s going to increase our ability probably this year I’d say by upwards of 25 or 30 more veterans we will be able to serve in 2022 because the building is paid off,” said Paul House, Executive Director of the retreat.

Dee and Paul are the parents of Army Sergeant Joel House, who was killed in Iraq in 2007.

They know in order to help veterans, and their families heal, sometimes requires a helping hand.

“Whether it’s bake a pie or donate a million and a half dollars, they’re choosing to make the lives of our veterans better,” said Dee House.

“The people they’re going to help us reach through their generous donation is beyond what we can even imagine,” said Paul House.

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