Mr. and Mrs. Zachary Fisher built several Fisher Houses at Army bases around the United States to give families a place to stay while their loved ones are in the hospital with combat injuries.

slideshow

Mrs. Louise Henderson, Keith Burnett and Bobbie Jean Burnett present Wendy Carlson, director of Army Fisher House at Ft. Campbell, with a check for $1,400. The money will be used for operating expenses of the Fisher House.

slideshow

Last week, representatives from the Logan County Republican Women’s Club and Mrs. Louise Henderson of Antioch Baptist Church presented Ms. Wendy Carlson, director of Army Fisher House at Ft. Campbell, a check for $1,400.

This is the third year the Women’s Club has given money to the house, which is used by families of wounded soldiers while they are in the hospital at Fort Campbell, but this was by far the biggest donation they have given.

The first year the amount was just a little over $300. Last year, when Mrs. Henderson’s Sunday school class at Antioch Baptist got involved, the amount grew to over $800.

But the $1,400 surpassed the groups’ expectations for the project.

“It’s unbelievable - the generosity of this community,” said Annie Statton, the Logan County Republican Women’s Club treasurer. “

With a large one time donation of $500 and Mrs. Henderson’s sunday School class donation of $400, the group was on the way to a wonderful helping hand for the families of our servicemen and women who are hospitalized on base.

The remaining $500 was collected from spare change donated by individuals all over Logan County.

The ongoing project was started just three years ago by Zelma Cundiff, posing the question “Is your freedom worth a penny a day?” After a kick off from Don Neagle’s WRUS program Feedback, jars were placed in various businesses around the county. Generous people who wanted to support our troops in even the smallest way were joining together to make a difference.

The Fisher House is one of many that are found at Army bases around the country.

“Families of our wounded warriors stay for free in eight large private suites with full kitchen and laundry room privileges,” said Statton. “Although the beautiful facility on Ft. Campbell was built and donated by the Fisher Foundation, the home depends on contributions for utilities and maintenance as well as other amenities to provide a ‘Home Away From Home.’ Numerous other Fisher House facilities have been built on bases across the country and are operated in the same manner.”

The group has already started their 2013 campaign and the jars for collections are out and awaiting your donation.

“We just hope everyone will help us this year so that we can make an even bigger contribution to our wounded warriors next year,” Statton said.