By Valerie Kostka

The stories of the Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) Fisher House are love stories. They are stories of a husband injured in Iraq returning home to be nursed back to health with his wife by his side, a premature baby fighting an infection as her mother watches on, and a father comforting his son as he prepares for another round of chemotherapy. On a day usually reserved for lovers, Fisher House guests, staff, and volunteers celebrated Valentine’s Day as a family, sharing the stories that brought them together.

Guests flocked to the kitchen and conversations hovered over an impressive spread of fresh fruits, savory spiced meatballs, and freshly baked cookies. They spent time chatting and eating, savoring the rare moments of festivity in a house usually quiet in the afternoons. “Most of our families are at the hospital all day caring for their loved ones so we don’t see them often,” said Nikki Wasierski, operations assistant for the house. With a break in their routines, guests relaxed in the dining room.

Seated at one table, Jennifer Hahn held her 10-month-old daughter Lily. Balancing a bottle in one hand and Lily in the other, sharing her memories of giving birth to her newest daughter, Dakota. Born 12 weeks early, Dakota weighed only 4 pounds at birth. Jennifer has being staying at the Fisher House since December. Her days consist of constant trips to Madigan Army Medical Center to sit in the neonatal intensive care unit and watch Dakota’s slow and steady breaths grow a little deeper with each visit. Big sister Lily spends most of her time with her father, who lives an hour away in Bremerton while serving in the Navy.

Jennifer’s story is all too familiar for Navy Airman Ruth Nzimiro. She is also a guest at the house while her 10-day-old son, Ramine, receives medical treatment. Born 13 weeks early, Ramine weighed only 2 pounds, 11 ounces. Today, the two moms swap birth stories and cell phone pictures, updating each other on their babies’ condition.

Parties at the house are more than a chance for sweets and giveaways, although there are plenty of those to go around. “They bring everyone back to the house. It’s a great chance for everyone to get together and see who is here,” Nikki said. “Because of their schedules many families only see the others in passing. This is a great way for them to have some fun and relieve stress.”

“The house is its own family,” volunteer Melanie Casey said. “We share in each other’s struggles and try to help in anyway we can.” So for one afternoon, the Fisher House was able to replace IVs, blinking monitors, and doctor consultations with fresh flowers, gift baskets, massages…and a lot of love.

For party pictures and more JBLM Fisher House love stories, become a friend on Facebook.

The Fisher House would like to thank the following businesses and individuals for their time, services, and donations.

• JBLM Flower Shop
• Soldier’s Angels
• The Fort Lewis Ranger and NW Airlifter
• Dupont Chiropractic
• Glenda Smith
• Debra Roper

Annual party brings smiles, cheer to residents

Having a loved one in the hospital is difficult at any time of the year. During the holidays, when focus is on family and togetherness, it can be even tougher.

Staff and volunteers of the Joint Base Lewis McChord Fisher House brought a little levity – along with some holiday cheer – to their residents on Friday during the home’s annual Christmas Party.

The house, which provides free accommodation to family members of ill and injured servicemembers, was festively decorated for the season. Sparkling garland and lights, candles, wreaths and a brightly lit tree in the living room helped bring a feeling of home to the house.

“It’s a fantastic thing,” said Pat Haldorson, whose son, Sgt. Raymond Haldorson, is a Ranger assigned to 2^nd Battalion, 75^th Ranger Regiment on JBLM and is recovering from a gunshot wound at Madigan Army Medical Center. “I don’t know how to describe it.”

No Christmas party would be complete without a visit from Santa, and the Fisher House party didn’t disappoint. Jerry Johnson, one of Santa’s elves who retired from the Army in 1985, stopped by to help families celebrate the season. Family members took their turn sitting on Santa’s lap as helper elf Herb Schmeling, a longtime Fisher House and USO volunteer, bestowed them with gifts, including stockings stuffed with coloring books and crayons, gift bags filled with a toiletries and gift cards. Wounded servicemembers each received an “angel quilt” hand crafted by a USO volunteer.

The goodies were provided by America’s Credit Union; the United Services Organization at McChord Field; the Captain Meriwether Lewis Chapter of the Association of the United States Army; Support America’s Armed Forces; The Ranger newspaper; and Armed Forces Bank.

“We’ve done this forever,” said Karen Schade, community relations representative for ACU who was on hand to help distribute gifts to the families. “It’s another way for us to give back. We’re honored to be a part of it. It’s one of my favorite events.”

Fisher House strives to be a “home away from home” for its residents, who are often facing some of the most difficult days of their lives. The event is held annually to help bring some cheer into the house, said Operations Assistant Nikki Wasierski. “Being away from home with a loved one in the hospital is always difficult, but even more so during the holidays. This is our small way of hopefully putting a smile on their faces.”

Mission accomplished. “The people here are wonderful,” said Pat Halderson. “It’s so homey, not at all like a hotel. In the morning you hear Reveille and know you’re in the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

“It’s just …” added her husband, Lee, taking a moment to reflect on his son’s predicament along with the generosity shown by Fisher House and its volunteers, “It’s just nice.”

Pictures can be found on our Facebook!

By: Melanie Casey

It’s a place where families of America’s military men and women can find comfort, respite and understanding. It opened its doors on Joint Base Lewis-McChord in 1992, yet many – even those in the nearby military community – still do not understand what the Fisher House is, how it works, and how it helps service members and their families when they need it most.

On Friday, the JBLM Fisher House opened its doors to celebrate what would have been founder Zachary Fisher’s 100th birthday and give the public an opportunity to tour the home, ask questions and learn more about this “home away from home” for families of injured and ill service members.

The celebration featured a free barbeque lunch, free chair massages courtesy of DuPont Chiropractic Center, tours of the home, a bounce house, door prizes and more. In keeping with the “Birthday Party” theme, the event also included cotton candy, popcorn and sno-cone machines (manned by soldiers from the 571^st Military Police Company), and Staff Sgt. Jared Doss, a soldier with the 702^nd Brigade Support Battalion, donated his time and talent to create balloon animals. More than 50 volunteers came out to ensure the party’s success.

“My intention was not only to get the military leadership here to learn more about us so they know to use us,” said Fisher House Manager Jodi Land, “But also to give the community a chance to learn more about us. Our families need them.”

Built in 1992, the home is much more than just a house. Its guests – military members and their families from all branches of service – have access to a full kitchen, laundry area, dining room and living room. Seven families can stay on site; others are referred to off-post hotels. The Fisher House Foundation picks up the $10 per family, per night tab. The rest of the money for operational costs comes from donations (particularly Combined Federal Campaign donations, Land said) and in-kind donations from volunteers and members of the community.

So far this year, the JBLM Fisher House has served more than 300 families from all branches of service and has saved military families more than $430,000, said Operations Assistant Nikki Wasierski.

Fisher House “is wonderful,” said resident Jennifer Dew, whose infant son, Dawson, is in the nearby Madigan Army Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Dew and her husband, Navy Chief Petty Officer Walter Dew, who is stationed at the Bangor Submarine Base, live in Bremerton. Without Fisher House, they said, they would have had to travel nearly three hours round trip each day to spend time with their son. “We feel taken care of. Other people [here] are all in the same situation.”

“It’s one less thing to worry about,” said Col. Jerry Penner, MAMC commander. “Without a doubt, having family [nearby] assists with the healing process.”

The first Fisher House was opened at National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., in June 1991; another home at nearby Walter Reed Army Medical Center soon followed. Founder Zachary Fisher, a New York philanthropist, initially envisioned donating one home per branch of service. But the homes were a huge success, and by 1992, six houses were open.  Within 10 years, there were 28 homes around the country and in Landstuhl, Germany. There are currently 45 Fisher Houses on 18 installations and 15 Veterans Affairs medical centers.

The JBLM Fisher House “feels like a home,” said Brig. Gen. Eric Tremblay, I Corps chief of staff, who visited the house for the first time during Friday’s open house celebration.  [The staff and volunteers] are here to take care of you and make difficult and hard times [better]. There are a lot of people who do care about troops. We feel they’re part of the same family.”

See event photos here!

By Melanie Casey

We are hosting a Founder’s Day Open House on Friday, Sept. 24, 2010 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in honor of Fisher House Founder Zachary Fisher’s 100th birthday. The event will feature a free barbeque lunch, tours of the home, door prizes, children’s activities and more. Come out and learn more about how Fisher House supports America’s fighting men and women and their families when they need it most. Open to the public. Come and visit us and learn about the Fisher House!

The cars were in Santa’s way.

That’s what stood out to Chloee Matlock, 4, as she waited patiently for St. Nick to arrive July 23 to the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Fisher House Christmas in July party.

Though the traffic did indeed delay Santa, along with a few of his elves, it didn’t put a damper on the day. “Santa’s going to bring me lots of presents,” said Chloee, who, along with her sister Ella, 2 ½, and Lance Blaisdell, 5, waited patiently in the home’s living room for the big man to arrive. The three youngest residents of Fisher House were soon rewarded with brightly wrapped Christmas gifts and stockings stuffed with toys, candy and other goodies.

The annual event “brings a smile to their face,” said longtime Fisher House volunteer (and Santa’s helper) Herb Schmeling. ”If we take for granted that Fisher House is a place where families can be a part of the rehabilitation and healing process, then  what we do is bring a little bit of cheer.”

All gifts and in-kind donations were courtesy of the United Services Organization, Association of the United States Army and Armed Forces Bank.

“It’s really nice for the kids,” said Amanda Matlock, Chloee and Ella’s mother. The family has been staying at the home for several weeks while her husband, Private 1^st Class Brandon Matlock, an Oregon National Guardsman currently stationed with the JBLM Warrior Transition Unit, receives outpatient therapy at Madigan Army Medical Center.  “It’s hard for them to be away from home and school,” she said. “[The party] is good for them.”

Other Fisher House residents attending the annual event included Private 1^st Class Tyler Hollows, who is living at the home while recovering from lymphoma;  (Navy E-6 ) Scott and Chrissy Fitzgerald, whose 3-week-old twins, Scott Jr. and Patrick, are in the MAMC Neonatal Intensive Care Unit;  (Navy E-2) Joseph and Alison Blaisdell, whose twins Drake and Cora, born July 5, are in the NICU; and (Navy E-6) Don and Deanna Salmon, whose premature daughter, Leyna, born July 11, is also in the NICU. All of the babies received blankets, clothes and other gifts, and their parents also received goodie bags.

The event began several years ago as a way to break up the monotony of a long, hot summer, said Schmeling, and do something for the kids. Once it was clear residents would be at the house on the day of the party, they were asked to complete a “wish list,” said Fisher House Manager Jodi Land. “We do it for the kids,” she added. “It’s got to be really hard for them to be out of their home environment, so any kind of focus you can put on them always seems to be worthwhile.”

“If I get a wow today, I will be happy,” Schmeling said prior to the event. He got his wish – and then some. Adults ‘oohed’ and ‘aahed’ as they opened hand-knitted baby blankets, summer weight “healing quilts” for the injured and ill service members, hand-made pillow cases and all sorts of toys for the children.

No Christmas party would be complete without a traditional holiday meal, and the Fisher House Christmas in July delivered. Supplied by Soldiers’ Angels volunteer Erin Sitterly and her niece, Marisol, the menu included baked ham, fresh green beans, mashed potatoes and rolls.

“The reason I do it is because of that,” Sitterly said, referring to the smiles and squeals coming from the home’s living room as the children opened and played with their toys.  “That’s all I can say.”

By Melanie Casey

JBLM Fisher House