Home at Last Founder Wins National Recognition from Major League Baseball and People Magazine “All-Stars Among Us”

Bill Criswell (far right) sits with (from left) John Russo and Bill Curdts at the Home At Last II jobsite. Russo, of contracting partner Winter Park Construction, nominated Criswell for the All-Stars Among Us program and will accompany him to the MLB All-Star Game in Anaheim, Calif. Photo by Jim Hobart, Macbeth Photography

WINTER GARDEN, FL ., July 2, 2010 — Orange County’s own, William C. Criswell, the founder of the Home At Last program, a special project of West Orange Habitat for Humanity that builds houses for combat wounded soldiers, has won the 2010 Major League Baseball/PEOPLE Magazine All-Stars Among Us representing the Tampa Bay Rays.

 The “All-Stars Among Us” is a program began last year by MLB and PEOPLE magazine to recognize everyday individuals that make a difference within their communities.

Criswell, nominated by John Russo an assistant project manager for Winter Park Construction and a Home At Last contractor partner, competed against thousands of nominees.

 Finally whittled down to 90 contestants, three per team, the public cast 1.7 million votes. Criswell, representing the Tampa Bay Rays, will be honored on the field during the MLB All-Stars Game pre-game celebration on July 13 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.

Home At Last, a special project of West Orange Habitat for Humanity, is a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2007 to build mortgage-free homes for combat wounded soldiers of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The organization has completed two homes for wounded soldiers.

This year’s home, for Sergeant Major Patrick Corcoran, his wife, Becky, and sons, Tim and Patrick, will break ground around August 1. To make a donation, please go to www.woh4h.org and click on Home At Last.

Major League Baseball and PEOPLE Magazine teamed up last year to initiate the “All-Stars Among Us” national Campaign to recognize individuals who have served their communities in extraordinary ways. The 2010 campaign drew 1.7 million fan votes to produce the 30 All-Star winners, one to represent each of the 30 MLB teams.

West Orange Habitat for Humanity, a recognized affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, was founded in 1990 at Oakland Presbyterian Church.

The goal of Habitat for Humanity is to bring families and communities in need together with volunteers and resources to build simple decent and affordable homes.

Contact:  Elaine Ingra, 407-384-1344, elainei@pr-works.com