Feed the Fisher House.4

When I was asked by John to join his cause, Feed the Fisher House, I was apprehensive for two reasons; I am continuously busy and didn't know how much time I could really offer and I have no real connection to the military world and hadn't even really heard of Fisher House Foundation. However, as I accessed the Fisher House website and listened to John's story, I knew that I not only had something to bring to the table, but I could also learn a lot in return. John's suggestion to go to the VA Puget Sound Fisher House alone, however, caught me by surprise. I thought it would be better to go as a group, take notes, discuss etc. But at his urging, I did what he asked and went alone. This past Saturday I looked up the VA Puget Sound Fisher House address and drove myself down to Beacon Hill, expecting to be at the house for a couple of hours. When I arrived, I found, to my dismay, that the house was closed. There are no staff members on the weekends, only guests, and they enter with a card/ key system, which meant I was virtually locked out. I stood at the doorway for a few minutes, trying to decide how to make the best use of my time. As I turned to leave, an elderly couple exited the house. Kathleen and her husband (whose name escapes me unfortunately) are guests of the Fisher House, as he is an inpatient at the VA hospital for work on his jaw. When I mentioned who I was and why I was there, they graciously took me inside to show me the House and to inform me that the staff was not there and what hours I could reach them. The house itself was immaculate... granite counter tops, wood flooring, washer and dryer, all the amenities a family could need. When my tour was done, the two of them stood with me outside for many minutes, relaying their story to me and answering my questions. They are from Idaho and the VA hospital there could not do what they needed, nor was there a Fisher House to support her. Her husband had been here for many months and she was never able to see him, until a spot at the Fisher House opened up and she was able to get a ticket to come here. Though she spends most of her waking time with her husband at the hospital, she was emphatic that the Fisher House was the best thing that had happened to her in a long time. She told me of the beauty of the rooms, the easy access to amenities, the connections between the families, the meals they share, and the overall peace she feels when she walks in the House. It warmed my heart to know that though these two people were struggling both physically and financially, there was an institution in place that was willing to relieve some of that burden. As I shook their hands and watched them walk arm in arm down the path toward the hospital, I knew that this was exactly where I needed to be and what I needed to be doing. I received something more valuable then a tour from a staff person of the Fisher House; I spoke with someone who is directly impacted by the generosity of the Fisher House, who could definitely benefit from what John and I and the others are trying to do. I feel, now more than ever, that this is a worthwhile cause and I cannot wait until the day that we can reach our goal and set a new, higher one! (*** Note ... the VA Puget Sound Fisher House welcomes anyone who wants to visit the home. But because this is a private residency, please respect the privacy of the guests and rules of the home by calling ahead of time to make an appointment for one of the staff to show you the home. Call Lorraine if you're interested in visiting the house, 206.277.3950. ***)
Thank you,
Beth Schustek

Fisher House.3

I feel pretty lucky to have people who see the value of Feed the Fisher House as I do. I spent a good portion of my day reaching out to businesses, asking them for their support. My biggest gain today was a confirmation from Outlaw Radio Network that they want to be the voice of Feed the Fisher House. For me, this was worth all of the unanswered emails sent out today. I'm still hopeful at least one of the companies I reached out to will return with a positive response. Two companies I'm hoping to partner up with are Jones Soda and Pioneer Brewing Company. Both companies are local, respected and unique in their industries.
Another company, Paul Jr. Designs, from Discovery Channel's American Chopper, has offered a signed poster for me to auction off, with of course, the proceeds going to Feed the Fisher House. This was a nice surprise from a high-profile company.
Tomorrow's plan includes more emails; I should really start tracking who I'm emailing and calling. Maybe that's what I'll do; create a tracker. I like trackers ... All neat and uniform like.
The other thing I'd like to mention is I have help from a friend, maybe two if Rick would stop being a &$@&!. My hope is that tasks can be assigned and each member of the committee can focus on a particular area of interest. We' ll see. (think marathon, think marathon, think marathon). If you have a moment, please look me up and friend me on Facebook, at Feed the Fisher House.  Later.

Fisher House.2

I have a baby due any day now. Missy is ready to be done; I can tell she's miserable. I love her and I love her support. Max is so excited to be a big brother. While taking a walk in the rain last night, he said he wants to feed her, hold her and play cars with her.
So what does this have to do with Feed the Fisher House; well, nothing really. This morning I've been thinking of ways to get the word out about Feed the Fisher House. Julie offered to talk to one of her radio biz friends. I'm not sure of the details, but it sounds like it might work. Apparently he has an internet show and is based out of Bremerton, WA. Arleta has posted my link on to her facebook page, as has my former grade school teacher, Ms. Bryson. Miles from the Men's Room (KISW) offered his support and said he would push information out if I had an event going. All of this is amazing support. What I like about these offers is there is no financial burden on them. I know their efforts do not directly get me closer to my $15,600 mark, but they do help spread the word. And by doing this, Feed the Fisher House receives donations from people in Pennsylvania whom I've never met or spoke to. This is what I want and this is what Feed the Fisher House needs.
This morning I send out about 15 emails to local business owners, hoping one of them catches on. Starbucks, a few auto dealerships in Bellevue, a couple breweries, a handful of PR firms and some other businesses received an email from me asking for their support. I also contacted Century Link Field (Seahawks Stadium) and inquired about having a booth/table either inside the event center or just outside the doors. I have not heard back yet.
This is all I've got for now. If you have any low cost ideas to get the word out, please share them with me. As of this posting, Feed the Fisher House, 2012 is at $1,025. I think this is a great start.

Fisher House.1

The support I've received so far with Feed the Fisher House, 2012 has been remarkable. I can't thank you enough; to those who have already donated and to those who have committed to donate, thank you. 
Some of you know I recently spent about a month inpatient at the Seattle VA, in their PTSD program. The experience was humbling, revealing, and what I learned about myself is unmeasurable. Amongst other things, I was given an opportunity to reflect at where I've been, where I'm going, what really matters in life. I learned to focus more at what I'm capable of doing, as opposed to how and what PTSD makes me incapable of doing. Most importantly, I learned I'm capable of (and enjoy) helping others. Selfishly, this is a  form of therapy that works for me, with a residual effect of benefiting others. 
I've been a supporter of the Fisher House for a few years now, but it wasn't until my stay at the VA did I realize the impact of their mission. The stories are simultaneously heart wrenching and heart warming. Their stories are all over fisherhouse.com so I won't get into them, but I can tell you without question that what the Fisher House provides for these veteran and their families is a form of lifeline that no prescription drug or treatment can rival. 
For many veterans, our families are our number one priority. There are several organizations whose mission is to support family members of veterans. Each deserve the same attention I'm giving to the Fisher House. But I ask this of you; if you want to give to one of these outstanding organizations but are not sure how to locate them, please consider helping me raise enough funds to offset the annual food budget at the VA Puget Sound Fisher House. My goal is $15,600 over the next year. It seems like unreachable number, but really, if I can convince 50 people to donate $25 per month over the next 12 months, together we can reach this goal. The goal  of the Fisher House is to provide an all-inclusive stay for a veteran's family members while this veteran is receiving treatment for an illness or injury.
Please consider helping me reach my goal by donating to Feed the Fisher House, 2012 at http://www.active.com/donate/VA-PSFisherHouse/feedthefisherhouse.
Thanks, and we'll be in touch.
jm