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VETERAN BUILDS AND DONATES DOLL HOUSE

Pascack Valley Community Life - 7/20/2017

Tom Kneeshaw is a 97 year old veteran who served in the Army Signal Corp during World War II and is a retired Major from the Army Reserves. Tom did not only provide service to the country, but to his community as well. He was a church organist for 77 years and further utilized his dexterity by providing accompaniment to local high school and community musicals.

Tom was conferred with the status of Honorary Chief for his service on the River Vale Volunteer Fire Department for over 40 years. He was an avid leader and contributor for his children's' Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops.

In 1978, Tom developed a passion for woodworking and constructed dollhouses for his granddaughters and great granddaughters. However, in 2014, Tom required an amputation above his left knee after becoming poor in health. In 2015, Tom encountered an illness that he was not expected to prevail over. Beating the odds, he began to regain strength by constructing small toys. Over the past two years, Tom has donated more than 20 heirloom quality dollhouses to various organizations. Tom believes that overcoming one's limitations is an essential principle in living a meaningful life at any age.

For Habitat for Humanity of Bergen County's (Habitat Bergen) ReStore Grand Opening Summer 2017, Kneeshaw has made and donated an alluring wooden doll house.

A Habitat for Humanity ReStore is a nonprofit home improvement store that sells new and gently used home furnishings and construction materials to the public at a fraction of the retail value. Each ReStore is independently operated by each affiliate; all revenue generated from the ReStore will go to the affiliate's general budget, enabling the affiliate to build additional homes. The Habitat Bergen ReStore opens August 2017 and is located at 121Carver Ave., Westwood.