Teeing off for Homes for Our Troops at Rosedale Country Club

Before Tom Landwermeyer, a retired Army brigadier general, was to address the golfers at the Rosedale Golf Classic April 2, he wanted to compliment Deb Kehoe and Kathi Skelton, the founders of the event who have spearheaded the effort to raise over $1.5 million since 2013 for Homes for Our Troops.

Landwermeyer, the president and CEO of Homes for Our Troops, was able to inform Kehoe and Skelton, that in 2024 they raised more money — $430,008 — than any other fundraising group in the country that supports his organization.

The Rosedale effort, which never had been higher than No. 2 in the country, achieved its first No. 1 status, out-collecting the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49 (Minnesota), which raised $342,415.

"Everyone who supports our mission touches our heart," Landwermeyer said. "And everyone who supports our mission knows who these two ladies are. And they all want to beat them.

"You won't find two bigger patriots than Kathy and Deb."

Homes for Our Troops has built 407 adaptive home for soldiers who were injured in service to their country. The 2025 Rosedale Golf Classic was honoring East County's Aaron Cornelius, an Army sergeant first class who was injured by an improvised explosive device on April 10, 2008. He suffered severe damage from shrapnel to his eyes, face and head, and is blind.

While Cornelius lives in East County, his adaptive home will be built in Lithia. 

"I tried my darnedest to stay here (in the Lakewood Ranch area)," said Cornelius, who eventually knew it would be too expensive a proposition to build an adaptive home in East County.

Even so, he said moving into his new home in Lithia will be life changing.

"He said his adaptive home will have an open floor plan with rails lining the walls to help him guide himself. He can use audible commands around much of the house to do tasks such as opening doors or turning on the sprinklers.

"This is going to be huge," said Cornelius, who is 56 but says he feels 25. "It has been very frustrating for me, and I have had anxiety and depression as I tried to figure out how to do things. But the technology is out there, and now I can be more independent. That in itself is huge."

Four years after his injury, Cornelius' wife Leilani died. The years since have been tough. And he said the mental adjustments were even tougher than the physical ones.

"You have the anxiety of always being in the darkness," he said. "You feel closed in.

"But moving into this new home, I can feel a lot of stress will brush off my shoulders."

Cornelius, who has five children, said he looks forward to pursuing his interests, which include working as a DJ, and being a spokesman for the Wounded Warrior and Homes for Our Troops programs. He also is grateful for his service dog that he received from Dogs, Inc. He received Vernon seven years ago and he is an important part of his everyday life. Vernon is now 9.

He said he is amazed by the work done by Kehoe, Skelton and all the Rosedale tournament volunteers.

"They make wonderful things happen," he said. "It's all about making the veterans lives better. It's go ... go ... go."

He wasn't the only one applauding the work by the tournament founders.

"They are a powerhouse," said Army Captain Bobby Withers, who received an adaptive home in Winter Garden from Homes for Our Troops in 2016. "They are a juggernaut ... unstoppable."

Withers, who comes to Rosedale each year to support the event, is unstoppable himself. Even though he had his right leg amputated after stepping on a anti-personnel mine in Afghanistan in 2010, he is going to run the Boston Marathon on April 21.

Those success stories are the payment Kehoe and Skelton receive for their efforts.

As far as running the tournament, Skelton said most of the effort now goes into the "minute stuff" because they have down pat the major parts of the tournament.

The community's support has made their job more rewarding. They had 96 "flag donors" this year who donated $500 to the cause. Kehoe said they have seen an increase in participation.

Even so, they know much more work needs to be done, and each veteran has a difference story and different challenges. Cornelius was the first blind soldier who they have honored.

"This is real different," Kehoe said about Cornelius. "Talk about a loss of independence."

Skelton said one of the reasons their Rosedale Classic continues to grow is that they can show possible donors what the funds they raise mean to the veterans. They can see the veterans move into their homes, and can see what it means to them.