Baths for the Brave is a partnership between ten home improvement companies from across the United States who have banned together to give back to those who’ve sacrificed so much for us – our veterans. Our goal is to improve the lives of veterans in meaningful ways to say thank you for your service.
THE EVENT
Baths for the Brave was founded by Brian Gottlieb. In an effort to honor our nation’s veterans, just in time for Veteran’s Day, 10 home improvement companies from across the United States are partnering to provide 16 deserving veterans with the ultimate bath or safety shower remodel. This one-of-a-kind one-day event is called Baths for the Brave and began in Kaukauna, Wisconsin with Tundraland Home Improvements. These remodels will occur simultaneously for these preselected veterans across the country on Wednesday, November 4th 2021.
The Mission
The goal of Baths for the Brave is to improve the lives of veterans who were left disabled from their military service or have experienced hardships in their life that prevent them from completing normal everyday tasks such as bathing. As veteran Ryan Buglar, from Dracut, Massachusetts, puts it:
“I was just about ready to take a chainsaw to my bath tub to create the opening for me to get in and out of the tub. This will absolutely mean independence and freedom for me!”
Taking action and providing remodeled baths and showers for these veterans is just one small way 10 home improvement companies have decided to honor our nation’s heroes.
The Companies
The following home improvement companies are participating in this year’s Baths for the Brave initiative. Click on their logo below to learn more about their company, the Veteran they’re helping and why they want to help change a life.
The History
Tundraland Home Improvements, based in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, believes that a company can do good and give back at the same time. It’s that philosophy that led to the idea of Crash the Bath, an event where Tundraland surprised a veteran with a newly remodeld shower that changed their life.
It all started in May of 2016, where in a single days’ time the life of a Desert War veteran was forever changed. Mike Alsteen of Green Bay, Wisconsin, has Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and has been struggling to use his bathroom that was not handicap accessible.
Tundraland learned of Alsteen’s struggles and knew right away they could make a positive difference, so that’s exactly what the company did.
Alsteen received the VIP treatment for himself and nine family members for the day, while crews, unbeknownst to him, remodeled his shower. The first stop on the list was iconic Lambeau Field. The group received an on-field tour of the NFL landmark as well as lunch at the 1919 Kitchen and Tap restaurant inside the atrium and a tour of the Hall of Fame. The day ended with Alsteen and his family going to the Resch Center, Green Bay’s largest entertainment venue, where he was welcomed on the ice by the Green Bay Gambler’s hockey team and got to see the big reveal of his newly handicap-accessible bathroom.
That was the beginning of what has now grown into a national event known as Baths for the Brave, encompassing nearly a dozen like-minded home improvement companies. All 10 companies will remodel a shower for a deserving veteran, changing their lives for the better and giving them peace of mind and independence in their own homes.
This is the first-year Baths for the Brave is being implemented, however, all parties have committed to making this an ongoing annual event. The idea for Baths for the Brave stemmed from a similar initiative Brian Gottlieb and his team at Tundraland Home Improvements from Kaukauna, Wisconsin created. With a company-wide philosophy that a business can do well and do good, the company created a program called Tundraland Cares. Through Tundraland Cares, Gottlieb has provided veterans in need and deserving families with remodeled bathrooms, standing wheelchairs and family vacations to Disney World, all free of charge.