Fisher House families are often living through some of the most difficult days of their lives. Facing illness or injury, Servicemembers and their families often spend their days in and out of the hospital and are under an incredible amount of stress. Sometimes, residents just need somewhere to sit quietly alone to gather their thoughts, take a break and relax. Thanks to Home Depot, residents at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Fisher House now have a place set aside for just that.
More than 40 volunteers from 10 local Home Depot stores converged on the home’s backyard July 21 and constructed a Relaxation Garden complete with paved walkway, colorful flower beds, solar lighting and garden swings. Since the home, which is located about a half mile from the Madigan Healthcare System on JBLM, doesn’t currently have a volunteer gardener, Home Depot volunteers also took the time to trim hedges, rake pine needles and pull weeds. “When we have nice weather, it will be a place the families will use a lot,” said Jessica Thompson, Fisher House operations assistant. “It will give them another way to get out of the house and a place to relax.”
The project was made possible by an $8,000 grant courtesy of Team Depot, a Home Depot program that helps give back to the community and build relationships, said Kevin Finger, manager of Home Depot store 4708 in Olympia. JBLM Fisher House Manager Jodi Land worked closely with Sarah Waller, associate support department supervisor at store 4708, to put together an idea, plan the project and make it happen. “To have ($8,000), it will be done right and will last,” Land said. “They did a really great job.”
Resident Catherine McGeorge, who is recovering from surgery for an Islet cell tumor, took advantage of the new space over the weekend. “It’s great to be able to get outside and do the things I enjoy doing,” she said. “It makes it more like a home.”
By: Melanie Casey
