Girl Scout cookies, 480 boxes, donated by individuals, businesses and organizations in Brown County community were delivered to wounded military and their families by Gary Twiford, Associate Broker, Coldwell Banker Mark Campbell and Associates to the Fisher House at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio on Thursday, April 4th.
Pictured are Rebecca Skinner, Fisher House Assistant Manager and Gary Twiford.
Donors offered thanks for their sacrifices to wounded military and their families by sending these boxes of Girl Scout Cookies. Local Girl Scout Troop 4033 members carefully labeled the boxes with thank you notes from each of the donors to be delivered to veterans and their families at the Fisher House to honor the 10th anniversary of the War in Iraq.
Realtors from Coldwell Banker, Mark Campbell & Associates in Brownwood agreed to help deliver the cookies while they are in San Antonio for their annual convention on April 4th.
Fisher Houses are “a home away from home” for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. The homes are normally located within walking distance of the treatment facility or have transportation available. There are 60 Fisher Houses located on 23 military installations and 22 VA medical centers. Many more houses are under construction or in design.
Typically, the houses are 5,000 to 16,800 square foot homes donated by the Fisher family and Fisher House Foundation. Each house is designed to provide 8 to 21 suites. All are professionally furnished and decorated in the tone and style of the local region. The houses can accommodate 16 to 42 family members. They feature a common kitchen, laundry facilities, spacious dining room and an inviting living room with library, and toys for children. The newest houses are 100% handicap accessible and include elevators. A Fisher House is a temporary residence and is not a treatment facility, hospice or counseling center. The program began in 1990, and has offered more than three million days of lodging to more than 160,000 families.
In 2012 alone, Fishers houses served more than 19,000 families. The average length of stay was 10 days. For combat casualties was 45-60 days. These homes saved families more than $30 million in lodging costs, food and transportation in 2012. The daily capacity of Fisher Homes throughout the nation is 735 families.
For more information about the Fisher Homes, click here. http://www.fisherhouse.org.
Donors for the project included the following:
Brown County Republican Women
Citizens National Bank
Gary Twiford, Realtor and Coldwell Banker Mark Campbell & Associates
Russel and Shannon Beasly
Glenda Dove
Larry Holder State Farm Insurance
Lois McGlasson and Sunday school class
Fern and Waymond Sheppard
Sonic Drive-Ins of Brownwood
Texas Realty
VFW Ladies’ Auxiliary
VFW Men’s Auxiliary
Join these donors and take time to thank veterans for their service and sacrifice for our country.
Photo contributed.