Veteran's Day
Two years ago (I think) I was at the NIH listening to talk radio back when Chris Core was on in the evenings on WMAL 630 AM. The station was trying to raise money for The Fisher House Foundation. There is at least one Fisher House™ at every major military medical center to assist families in need and to ensure that they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive environment. Annually, the Fisher House™ program serves more than 8,500 families, and have made available more than two million days of lodging to family members since the program originated in 1990.
It's like a Ronald McDonald House for the families of wounded military service men and women. (And if I never did tell you how I feel about the Ronald McDonald House I'll try to get to it soon.)
That day Chris had set what seemed like an outrageous goal of money to be raised to go toward the upkeep of the local Fisher House. I don't remember the goal because it turned out to be pitifully small. The radio listeners of WMAL donated over $2,000,000 over the next several days. Enough to build a couple of new houses.
It's that time of year again. This morning (he's on in the morning now) his listeners contributed over $80,000 in a matter of three hours. My contribution didn't count toward that. I'm used to not having much money so I was slow on the uptake. BY the time it occurred to me that I'm now perfectly able to help out it was past noon and the special line at the radio station was off.
However, when I did go to the Fisher House site to contribute, I read a wonderful thing about Ultra-Liberal, anti-war cartoonist Garry Trudeau. He's just put out his second compilation book of strips about B.D. The first chronicles the character's path "from the battlefield in Iraq home after an amputation and hospitalization at Landstuhl and Walter Reed." The second book "continues where the first left off, as B. D. now confronts Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as he readjusts to civilian life." The beautiful thing is that Trudeau donated the artist's advance and all royalties from both books the the Fisher House Foundation.
I know a lot of people who say "Support The Troops". For those of you who have the means here's the best way I've yet seen.
Oh, and thank a veteran next time you see one.
It's like a Ronald McDonald House for the families of wounded military service men and women. (And if I never did tell you how I feel about the Ronald McDonald House I'll try to get to it soon.)
That day Chris had set what seemed like an outrageous goal of money to be raised to go toward the upkeep of the local Fisher House. I don't remember the goal because it turned out to be pitifully small. The radio listeners of WMAL donated over $2,000,000 over the next several days. Enough to build a couple of new houses.
It's that time of year again. This morning (he's on in the morning now) his listeners contributed over $80,000 in a matter of three hours. My contribution didn't count toward that. I'm used to not having much money so I was slow on the uptake. BY the time it occurred to me that I'm now perfectly able to help out it was past noon and the special line at the radio station was off.
However, when I did go to the Fisher House site to contribute, I read a wonderful thing about Ultra-Liberal, anti-war cartoonist Garry Trudeau. He's just put out his second compilation book of strips about B.D. The first chronicles the character's path "from the battlefield in Iraq home after an amputation and hospitalization at Landstuhl and Walter Reed." The second book "continues where the first left off, as B. D. now confronts Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as he readjusts to civilian life." The beautiful thing is that Trudeau donated the artist's advance and all royalties from both books the the Fisher House Foundation.
I know a lot of people who say "Support The Troops". For those of you who have the means here's the best way I've yet seen.
Oh, and thank a veteran next time you see one.