Thanks once again for the Exchange Club of Niceville hosting the 3rd Annual Field of Valor to honor our fallen. Proceeds from this event benefited our Fisher House on Eglin AFB to bless military families during a medical event. 4th Annual Field of Valor is on the calendar, September 9 – 18, 2017 – plan to attend. Seeing the flags waving in the field is a somber reminder that freedom isn’t free. Thank a veteran and their family. Thanks Paul McShane for your leadership.
Grateful for the Niceville Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce for their support of Fisher House – Sequins and Suits produced $1575 for our mission. Thanks to volunteers, Donna Chesher, Michele Green, and David and Diane Walbeck. Board members Jim Yurack, Gordy Fornell, Shirley Pigott and Teresa Halverson are pictured here with our friends from the chamber, along with Mia Hughes, Administrative Director.
Community Ambassadors David and Diane Walbeck and Sheila and Wayne Williams, along with Administrative Director Mia Hughes received $700 from the Emerald Coast Regional Mustang Club last Thursday evening.
The Emerald Coast Regional Mustang Club was created in 1987 by four local Mustang enthusiasts as an informal social group. The club has steadily grown over the years and was officially recognized and adopted as a regional group by the Mustang Club of America in 1995. All generations of Mustangs are represented in the club. Our members also cover several generations, yet share a common love for the Mustang car, it’s enjoyment, preservation, and history.
The Emerald Coast Regional Mustang Club actively supports several charity organizations in the local area; sponsor an annual car show each year and participate in other local charity events as a means to collect funds for these causes.
Monthly meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month at The Golden Corral in Fort Walton Beach. Social hour starts at 6PM and the meeting begins at 7 PM.We hold regular (at least once per month) “Social Gatherings and/or Fun Runs” to area attractions.
Kathy Schumacher, gifted artist of Schumacher Fine Art, recently presented a $1,240 donation to Fisher House of the Coast, Inc. from her Paint the Coast instructional class held September 29 at Superior Residences in Niceville, co-host along with The Manor at Blue Water Bay. Paint the Coast was founded by award winning palette knife artist, Kathy Schumacher. Kathy felt a desire to share her love of art with others by creating compositions that even beginning painters can create successfully. Her gallery can be viewed at www.schumacherfineart.com.
The check was presented to Administrative Director, Mia Hughes. Paint the Coast is a creative business specializing in teaching beginning artists basic painting techniques in a casual, relaxed environment. Students are provided all supplies and will finish their masterpiece in one 2-3 hour session. Students need only to show up with a smile and wearing clothes that are worthy of getting dirty.
Currently, classes are being held at The Pancakery in Destin, Florida at Café Liquid in Niceville, FL and at the American Legion Post 75 in Crestview Florida. Private parties are available upon request.
A few months ago, I posted a story in our monthly newsletter about the chain of love and it’s definition of paying it forward randomly – without knowledge of the effect one single act could have in the life of another at some point in the future.
This time of year, I love visiting the post office. Let me correct that, any time of the year I love visiting the post office. These visits yield unexpected fruit from kind strangers and great friends alike who support our efforts to provide comfort to military families facing a medical event. Some are anonymous or wish to remain so, some contributions are made in honor and memory of loved ones, community and military leaders, some include notes and many do not. Just a simple “thanks for what you do.” But it’s not about what we do, it’s really about what you do, the contributor who enables our work. We lovingly call you “enablers” in a most positive way.
On my visit the first Tuesday of the new year, there was a typed letter that began, “Hey, Hope you are having a wonderful and blessed holiday season.” As you read on, you can tell it is likely enclosed as the family newsletter inside a Christmas card. In the first paragraph, a description is made of the Fisher House mission, with an email link to the website. In the second paragraph is where the chill bumps start due to the humanity that unfolds. The chain of love……
12 years ago an 8th grader working on a project wants to collect items for his newly formed “organization”, appropriately named and not shared to protect the privacy of the persons in this story. It appears he makes this a family affair as many middle school projects become. He visits local businesses and amasses a collection of items, delivers them to a Fisher House at an Army/AFB near where he was raised, meets parents of sons and daughters returning from Iraq, guests in the home. A home that is described as “full of love and compassion for those who needed that love the most.” All excerpts from the letter.
The third paragraph fasts forward to December of 2016 when that same 8th grader, now a member of the USAF is medivac’d to our hospital on Eglin for tests and treatment of a mystery illness, contracted during a recent deployment to a foreign soil in defense of our great nation. This airman’s father stayed in our home the letter says. I am almost weeping as I type to describe in his words the effect of the care and warmth that was provided this family in our home on Eglin. This father shared this story with his friends and family in their Christmas card, likely, and the recipient sent the letter to us with a very generous check enclosed.
Because of you, we were able to bless this family who so many years ago blessed other families, without expectation. Sharing their story with friends, the blessing continued. How can you make a difference in the life of another person today? Some simple random act of kindness goes a long way. To quote Charlie Daniels, “let’s make the day count.”
Duke Pope, event organizer for the Destin Lacrosse Tournament and Destin Rockets high school division coach, recently presented a $500 donation to Fisher House of the Coast, Inc. from their club tournament held Veterans Day weekend at the Morgan Sports Complex.
The check was presented to board members Jim Yurack and Shirley Pigott, Secretary and Past President, along with House Managers Don Peckham and SSgt Thompson and Administrative Director, Mia Hughes. The sport continues to gain momentum and event organizers hope increased interest translates to local schools establishing lacrosse at the high school level.
Duke Pope, event organizer for the Destin Lacrosse Tournament and Destin Rockets high school division coach, recently presented a $500 donation to Fisher House of the Coast, Inc. from their club tournament held Veterans Day weekend at the Morgan Sports Complex.