"A Home Away from Home"

How would you feel if you could write a $50,000 check to Fisher House? Maybe $75,000 or $100,000?? Individually, it would probably not be realistic. But there is a way you can help to write that check. American Gold Star Mothers, with the technical support of Team Fisher House, is kicking off a national campaign. Creativity and energy in chapters across America can help us reach our goal of $50,000. To make this happen, we need your participation and raising funds will be easier than you may think.

Before we describe how to get started, let’s talk about how this campaign fits perfectly with our mission statement, which is to honor our children by serving Veterans and military families. For those who may not be familiar with Fisher House, it is a “home away from home” for families of patients receiving medical care at major military or VA medical centers. There are 43 Fisher Houses located on 18 military installations and 13 VA medical centers. Twelve more houses are under construction or are in design phases. Typically located within walking distance of the treatment facility, these houses serve as a temporary residence at no cost to the families. Since the program’s inception in 1990, more than 2 ½ million days of lodging to more than 120,000 families has been provided. That equates to over $12 million in lodging, food and transportation costs saved by the families in their time of need. The houses vary in size and guest capacity but all are beautifully decorated with well-stocked community kitchens, spacious dining areas, and living rooms complete with libraries and toys for children. Additionally, there are laundry facilities, housekeeping services, and in-room or common-area computers with Internet access. Caring staff and volunteers are available to assist guests.

With the increased number of wounded warriors, requirements for a Fisher House are changing. The stays are longer and due to the nature of the injuries, all of the new Fisher Houses will be completely handicapped accessible.

Several mothers in our organization know first-hand what the Fisher House experience is. One of those is Anita Dixon, from Wichita, Ks. Anita’s son, Sgt. Evan S. Parker, was seriously wounded in an IED attack in Balad, Iraq, suffering severe head injuries. Accommodations were made by the Army to get the family to Landstuhl Army Medical Center in Germany, where Evan was being transferred following surgery. Before Anita left for Germany, she received a call stating that Evan was on life support, with no hope for survival. Evan’s family was able to be with him for 24 hours and Anita kissed him and told him “I love you” before life support was removed on Oct. 26, 2005. The Army’s plan was to send the family home on the earliest fight and to fly Evan home later, but Anita insisted she would not leave without Evan. Anita said the Fisher House staff “opened their hearts to us and ministered to us at this time of devastating pain. Those six days at the Landstuhl Fisher House will never be forgotten, nor their love and support.” The funeral memorials to Evan were donated to Fisher House and the Landstuhl Fisher House bears a plaque in Evan’s memory.

Thousands of stories like Anita’s are repeated regularly by families who have received “comfort care” at a Fisher House. With staggering numbers of warriors returning with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries or other severe injuries, the need to assist military families with housing is growing. The families are facing so many issues and housing should not be one of them.

Today, we are officially beginning our AGSM/Team Fisher House Campaign. Letters are going out to Department Presidents with some ideas and suggestions for fundraising projects. There is no official timeframe to reach our goal of $50,000. Each department and chapter can set its own goals and pace.

The first step for each chapter is to set up an online fundraising campaign page; each chapter president should contact Cathy Cabrey directly at ccabrey@fsherhouse.org to start the process. All chapter campaigns will be combined and totaled under the AGSM campaign: www.active.com/donate/AGSMforFisherHouse.

Cathy, Program Director for Team Fisher House, has set up a web page for us: www.teamfisherhouse.org/AGSM. Once your chapter’s page has been created, Cathy will send you all the tools you need to start raising funds and awareness: business cards, postcards, flyers, letters for mailing, check donation forms, and an e-mail donation request template. Your chapter’s campaign page will be able to accept credit or debit donations directly online, as well as check donations mailed to the Foundation with an AGSM check donation form. Please ensure that all donors are directed to your chapter’s online campaign page or use an AGSM check donation form, so that all contributions are credited to our campaign.

Our Fisher House committee members are also available to assist you with any questions:

• Molly Morel, Chairperson mollymorelagsm@frontiernet.net
• Barb Benard barbie46@embarqmail.com
• Peggy Morrison Pennwash@aol.com
• Donna Bagwell Donnabagwell7@yahoo.com
• Diana Pitts pitts_diana@yahoo.com
• Lorie Southerland lorietex@aol.com

Some tips to help you get started:

• Set an individual, chapter or department goal.
• Contact Cathy to set up a web page and for fundraising tools.
• Plan fundraisers.
• Review the link on the AGSM web site for additional information and fundraising ideas.

Our members have a long history of volunteer hours and fundraising across America. The Fisher House project is not meant to replace any of those worthwhile projects. However, joining together in this campaign, we can do small things to contribute to the overall goal. For example, there are teams forming to get sponsors and walk in the USMC 10K in Washington, DC in September, 2010. Plan an AGSM/Fisher House fish fry, bowling tournament, or bake sale. Ask large companies in your area to donate or match your fundraising efforts.

There is a Chinese proverb: “Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.”

FOCUS ON FISHER HOUSE – DOVER AIR FORCE BASE

Fisher House Foundation, Inc. has announced plans for a special Fisher House at Dover AFB, Delaware. The significance of this house and the link to Gold Star Families is extraordinary. Families who elect to go to Dover AFB and observe the Dignified Transfer of Remains Ceremony of our Fallen Heroes will have a “home away from home” for their stay when the house is completed. Escort officers will also be able to utilize the facility.
Construction has begun on the house with plans to dedicate it before year-end. Derek Donovan, VP for Operations of Fisher House wrote “It would be an honor to have the Gold Star Mothers participate in the dedication of this Fisher House, and we will keep you updated on its progress.”

Through our fundraising efforts, we will now touch military families and Gold Star Families. Every dollar counts; if you donate personally to Fisher House, please credit our campaign. The Greater Harrisburg, PA Chapter started their efforts with a $1,000 donation and they have pledged more. Rolling Thunder TN VI donated $1,000. Every donation will not be large, but it is important! It is exciting to see the campaign begin so well, but we need to gain momentum and keep it going.

Let us know what your department/chapter is doing to raise funds for Fisher House so that we can share ideas with everyone.