Partnership to debut during Salem RidgeYaks game featuring veteran recognition, ceremonial first pitch and Allen Lawrence Hall of Fame Bobblehead Giveaway
BUCHANAN, Va. — Bank of Botetourt is proud to announce its support of Purple Heart Homes, a veteran-founded nonprofit dedicated to providing safe, accessible housing solutions for veterans and their families. The partnership will make its public debut Saturday, Aug. 22, during Military Appreciation Night at the Salem RidgeYaks — an evening bringing together service, community and a shared commitment to those who make a lasting difference in our region.
As presenting sponsor of Military Appreciation Night, Bank of Botetourt will premiere a special video on the ballpark jumbotron sharing more about its partnership with Purple Heart Homes and the impact the organization is making for veterans and military families. A portion of ticket sales from the evening will also benefit Purple Heart Homes and its mission.
The evening will carry special meaning for the Bank as Andrew Tucker, a Bank of Botetourt employee and veteran, joins President and CEO Michelle R. Austin on the field for the ceremonial first pitch.
“Military Appreciation Night gives us an opportunity to recognize service in a very personal and meaningful way,” Austin said. “Having Andrew join us on the field, introducing our partnership with Purple Heart Homes and sharing this moment with our employees, customers and community makes this about much more than a night at the ballpark. It is an opportunity to honor those who have served while supporting work that can make a lasting difference in the lives of veterans.”
Bank of Botetourt will also present the Allen Lawrence Hall of Fame Bobblehead Giveaway, honoring Lawrence’s 2026 induction into the Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame and his longtime leadership and service to professional baseball in the Roanoke Valley and Southwest Virginia.
For the Bank, celebrating Lawrence alongside Military Appreciation Night is especially fitting. His longstanding commitment to the region reflects the values of leadership, service and community involvement that have guided Bank of Botetourt since 1899.
“Allen Lawrence has spent decades championing this region and helping create experiences and traditions that bring people together,” Austin said. “We are honored to help celebrate his legacy. Recognizing people who invest their time, talents and leadership into making our communities stronger is very much aligned with who we are as a community bank.”
The first 750 fans through the gates will receive the commemorative Allen Lawrence Hall of Fame Bobblehead, presented by Bank of Botetourt. Fans can also look for special Bank of Botetourt displays in entry and concourse areas featuring merchandise available while supplies last, including limited-edition items created especially for the evening.
Saturday’s game will also bring Bank of Botetourt employees and their families together for the Bank’s annual employee gathering. Many employees will be sporting their Bank of Botetourt SPIRIT jerseys, representing the relationships, teamwork and community involvement that are part of the Bank’s culture. If you see them around the ballpark, be sure to say hello — they would love to meet you.
At the center of the celebration, however, will be a partnership intended to extend far beyond one night.
From Sept. 27 through Oct. 5, Purple Heart Homes will lead the National Mall Veteran Home Build, a first-of-its-kind public construction event on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebration. Over seven days, a fully accessible modular home will be constructed in public view before beginning its journey to Glasgow, Virginia, where it will provide safe, independent housing for a veteran.
The home’s future location in Glasgow underscores the local impact of the project, bringing a permanent housing solution for a veteran in need to a community Bank of Botetourt is proud to serve.
“Purple Heart Homes is turning gratitude into action,” Austin said. “Knowing that a home built on the National Mall will ultimately come to Rockbridge County and provide a veteran with a safe place to call home makes this partnership particularly meaningful to us. It is an opportunity to stand alongside an organization doing important work nationally while making a very real difference right here in a community we serve.”
Purple Heart Homes helps veterans live safely, comfortably and independently through critical home repairs, accessibility modifications, modular housing solutions and community partnerships. Founded by veterans in 2008, the organization brings communities together around a shared commitment to ensuring veterans have safe and accessible places to call home.
For Bank of Botetourt, Saturday evening brings several stories together — honoring military service, celebrating a regional leader, supporting a mission with a tangible impact close to home and gathering with the community the Bank has served for generations.
“We hope people come to the ballpark, enjoy the evening and leave knowing a little more about Purple Heart Homes and the difference we can make when communities come together around those who have served,” Austin said. “That spirit of service and community is something we are incredibly proud to support.”
About Purple Heart Homes
Co-founded by two combat-wounded veterans, Purple Heart Homes has been bringing communities together to provide safe, barrier-free housing solutions for qualified veterans since its founding in 2008. A nonprofit organization based in Statesville, N.C., PHH supports service-connected disabled and senior veterans from all eras across all 50 states and Puerto Rico through a growing network of local chapters. Programs include critical home repairs and renovations to help veterans live independently in their homes, home ownership programs and transitional housing through partnerships with other nonprofit organizations. Learn more at purplehearthomesusa.org
About Bank of Botetourt
Chartered in 1899, Bank of Botetourt is a full-service community bank serving customers through 14 retail offices across Botetourt, Franklin, Roanoke and Rockbridge counties; the cities of Roanoke and Salem; and the towns of Vinton and Rocky Mount, Virginia. The Bank also operates Virginia Mountain Mortgage, its residential lending division, and Botetourt Wealth Management, offering financial planning and investment services. Recognized by Forbes as a multi-year Best-in-State Bank in Virginia, Bank of Botetourt continues building on its long-standing tradition of service, financial strength and community commitment.
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