Peoria Veteran gets home makeover of a lifetime

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A local veteran received a call of a lifetime.

Ameren Illinois and Veterans Maintenance Solutions have been working together to change the lives of those who have served, by remodeling their house with smart home technology.

Dallas Terry, a former veteran and lifetime Peoria resident, was gifted smart home products.

"Whether it be smart light bulbs or smart speakers or smart Wi-Fi cameras that are going to be connected," said Robert Rusteberg, innovation channel manager for Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Programs, "Mr. Terry is going to be exposed to all those, and we're going to work with whatever works with his home."

East Peoria Veterans Day celebrations

Veterans Maintenance Solutions has done this same remodel to over 30 veterans in the central Illinois area.

"Our mission is to help veterans in particular stay in their home longer so they can live an easier life in their homes," said Starr Gobtop, secretary treasurer for Veterans Maintenance Solutions.

Gobtop said they want to give veterans who have served a feeling of security.

"Many of our vets, their concern is safety," she said. "So a lot of these programs, a lot of these measures that we're putting in, give them that safety."

Dallas is honored to go from serving others to being served.

"When you serve as a veteran, you know that's a sacrifice and you, and you're doing it for your country," he said. "It means a lot, you know, for me as a veteran that you appreciate my service."

Dallas suffers from arthritis in his back and says the smart home equipment will make a huge difference in his life.

"I said it's too good to be true," he said. "I asked a young lady, I said, 'Is this stuff free?' And she said, 'Yeah, it's free.' It's kind of hard to believe. I can see that it is going to really improve our lives."

The equipment is purchased through incentive money from Ameren Illinois designed to make life easier for veterans.