As I approach my second term as President of the Board of Directors, I am honored to continue leading the organization into the new year. Having retired with the United States Air Force, being a part of this mission that blesses military and veteran families feels like a continuation of that service. My employer, Serco, shares my enthusiasm and whole-heartedly believes in what we do. When I joined the board in 2016, my family and I were able to see the difference being made quietly behind the scenes and the dedication and commitment of the board. We have been blessed with outstanding business leaders since our inception in 2007 and our volunteer board remains strong today because of the foundation they put in place.

We have developed a roadmap for a whole-house refresh and will begin implementing some of the most critical improvements and replacements early in 2025. We welcome you to be a part of this exciting opportunity as the 5-star home enters its 15th year of service to military and veteran families. Each year, we care for approximately a thousand guests who may stay a few days, weeks, or even months. With your help, these families receive a world-class welcome and their stay can be as much like home as possible. There are many ways to show gratitude to our military members and I encourage you to help through volunteerism, attending our events, providing meals or baked goodies, or through financial donations for our house. What says comfort better than a meal made with love and ready when they return home from a day at the hospital? My spouse Amy and my children have provided home cooked meals in the What’s for Dinner program and as parents, we also understand how important it is to teach future generations the importance of service beyond self and giving back.

Many great things are coming our way thanks to the generosity of this community who love our military families like we do.  We have formally established a NextGen program to engage future leaders by their service on an advisory committee at the board level. I am also pleased to share our “Home Is Where The Heart Is, Helping Heroes Gala” is scheduled for August 28, 2025, returning back to the Henderson Resort, a venue we all love that is so welcoming to our fans and friends. This event is a sure sell out and we want you to be one of the 320 people in the room who get to experience an inspirational message firsthand.

On behalf of all the members of our board, and the many families you will be helping, we extend our genuine thanks and appreciation. We are very grateful!

Magazine 2025 Yurack Message

We were selected as one of the grant recipients of Forever Warriors and Step One Automotive Group to further bless warriors on their journey to better resiliency! As part of the first installment, the grant assisted in overflow hotels for our families to remain together for hope and healing, always room in our Inn thanks to them.   @weareforeverwarriors @steponeauto

Wow, you know we appreciate the support of everyone in the community who made this event so big.  Our friends Laura and Will made the cover……details soon on how BIG we were able to bless military families thanks to our generous community. Check out the full issue here. 

Volunteerism is a way to affect positively another person you may never meet, and get a warm fuzzy yourself.  Consider the many events we support annually where a few extra hands and hearts would make a big difference.

Here is the latest newsletter.  

Last week while attending the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber Breakfast, we received a most unexpected blessing.  A popular storyteller in the area, and fan of Fisher House, Kelly Murphy-Redd shared a story about our parents.  I asked her for the message and it is posted below.  Please read it in that quiet of a moment, and celebrate the humanity it captures in every single word.  Get to know this family, and remember them.  Larry and Molly made a difference in the lives of a lot of people, many they will never know, but thanks to Kelly, their legacy will live on.  Kelly and her spouse live in Niceville, and through her affection for her parents made a memorial contribution to continue making a difference in the lives of the families staying with us for hope and healing.  This tribute to Larry and Molly describes perfectly the families we serve, the sacrifices, hardships, joys and sorrows that we all experience as humans.  And yes, Ya’ll, Kelly is a storyteller……

Wedding Day

Larry and Molly

Kelly and Mia

Tribute to Larry and Molly Murphy

I would like to introduce you to my parents.

Molly Murphy came from humble beginnings in New Mexico. She met my Dad, Larry Murphy in Phoenix, Arizona and they were married in 1959.

Mom was beautiful, funny, quirky, determined, feisty, and good at whatever she tried to do. She was a great cook and a good golfer. She was up for any challenge. She loved dogs. She was a sports fanatic. Her teams were the Washington Redskins and the Atlanta Braves. She loved us fiercely.

Mom went to heaven on January 21, 2018 after battling a form of Muscular Dystrophy. It physically took her smile away. She suffered a lot. She was in terrible pain, couldn’t walk, and couldn’t swallow. She never complained. Mom was the strongest person I’ve ever known. Dad made sure to take care of her at home.

Dad moved back here after Mom left us. They had lived in Destin for 18 years. Dad retired from the Air Force as a full-bird Colonel at Eglin.

Dad also came from humble beginnings and was raised in Antigo Wisconsin. A West Point graduate, Dad served for 29 years and was a fighter pilot in Viet Nam. He was there for 320 days and flew 306 missions. Among his other medals, I found two Distinguished Flying Crosses in the attic. One of the medals was pinned on by General Benjamin Davis. One of the citations reads as follows:

“Captain Lawrence J. Murphy distinguished himself by extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as an F-100 tactical fighter pilot near Binh Thuy, Republic of Vietnam on 4 November 1967. On that date Captain Murphy came to the aid of friendly units who were heavily engaged with a large hostile force while trying to evacuate a group of friendly dead and wounded. The singularly brilliant ordinance deliveries in close proximity to friendly units while under heavy automatic weapons fire were directly responsible for the relief of the friendly troops and the evacuation of their dead and wounded. The professional competence, aerial skill, and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Murphy reflect great credit upon himself and the United states Air Force.”

I had found out my Dad was a hero. But, then, we knew that. He always did the right things and the hard things.

Ted, you met my Dad at the ODA595 dinner last year. Dad thought it was a very special night. Dad told great stories and he enjoyed the stories that night. Little did we know that it was to be one of the highlights of the last year of his life. He had made so many friends. I threw him a surprise birthday party. It made him so happy. We had a good Thanksgiving and Christmas.

My Dad went to heaven on February 18^th. I am heartbroken. He was fine and then he wasn’t. We fought for a month-and-a-half. But we lost.

My parents always kept us safe, took care of us, made sure we had a childhood, and always, always made our lives better. They were always there for us.

Which brings me to why I am here today. I want people to know Mom and Dad existed and their names to live on. In honor of my Mom and Dad, on their behalf, and BECAUSE of them, I am honored to present a check to One Hopeful Place for $10,000.00 and a check to Fisher House for $10,000.00.

Thank you Mom and Dad. I love you.

Kelly Murphy-Redd

ASUS has been partnering with our Eglin Fisher House for years, almost $10,000 since 2017 and will also be a part of this year’s 17th annual Helping Heroes Gala August 22.

About ASUS and their connection to the Eglin community – Located along the beautiful Emerald Coast of Florida is Eglin Air Force Base, the largest base in the United States Air Force. Home to the 96th Test Wing and the Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate, the base spans portions of Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties in Florida. In late 2016, Emerald Coast Utility Services, Inc. (ECUS), a wholly owned subsidiary of ASUS, was selected as the sole provider for water distribution and wastewater collection by entering into a 50-year privatization contract.

In recent news, they were awarded the 4-Star Employer award for supporting veterans and the military-connected community.  Meaning, families?  Yes I think so…..way to go Zig, Annemarie and the local folks here at Eglin Air Force Base.  They also received the Platinum Hire Vets Medallion Award for 2023.  Who loves our military like we do?  ASUS me thinks!    Check this out for more of their good work!  A prize if you can find Fisher House in the content!

“Teams come in all shapes and sizes. If you’re married, you and your spouse are a team. If you are employed by an organization, you and your colleagues are a team. If you volunteer your time, you and your fellow workers are a team…Every day in some way, you are part of a team. The question is not, ‘Will you participate in something that involves others?’ The question is, ‘Will your involvement with others be successful?’”

Tickets to the gala here

Friends Books here – book signing in August.

In a recent gathering of our Board of Directors, we grabbed some professional photos featuring some of our high functioning TEAM.  Thanks to Lexi Rutkowski, our professional photographer, she was a delight to work with and created some wonderful images of the WHO behind our WHAT…….Stay tuned but here is a sneak peak.  Like Mets and Baseball?  Here is a fun video that captures TEAM spirit.

P.S. I met Lexi during COVID.  She was USAF AD and started volunteering from home during the “two week” lockdown that became so much more.  She successfully pulled off all our behind the scenes activities that entire year, went on to have another baby, transitioned to a Civilian supporting the same role, she and her spouse started a small business and both are now happily working together in the “family” business they created.  WOW.  So yes I am a fan. Shop local, and shop with those who give back in very BIG ways.

Congratulations are in order. Last week, Gordy Fornell, founding board member and Vice Chair, was presented the Daughters of the American Revolution’s most prestigious award, the DAR Medal of Honor. While we know him as Gordy, Lt. Gen. Gordon Fornell, USAF, Ret. was recognized for his service to the local community since his retirement in 1993. Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel, State Rep. Patt Maney, R-Shalimar, and DAR representatives Lija Eldridge and Cindy Addison presented Fornell with the award… “No one has been more active and effectively engaged on a continuous basis in his efforts to improve our community and all of our families in Northwest Florida,” Maney said. Maney added that Fornell flew more than 200 combat missions and held various command and operational assignments, including test pilot and leadership roles at Edwards Air Force Base and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Fornell also served as the commander of the armament division at Eglin Air Force Base from 1985 to 1987.

https://www.nwfdailynews.com/story/news/military/2024/06/14/if-you-can-see-it-you-can-be-it-okaloosa-honors-female-veterans/74079365007/

Visit the link below and nominate a military family in need. 
All submissions must be in by April 1st. Please help us by liking and sharing this post.

https://millshvac.com/nominate-a-family

#localheros #hvacgiveaway #forlowerbillscallmills

Ever stayed at a Fisher House?  Learn what one guest had to stay about our house at Eglin.

“The house keeper – Alexis – is absolutely AMAZING!!! What a world of a difference with the facility cleaning under her care!! Not only does she pay incredible attention to detail, very thorough job, but she has such a happy joyful attitude that’s quick to help and serve without hesitation! I do not think there could be a better fit for the Fisher House to have someone with the cheerful attitude AND high integrity to do such a above & beyond job at cleaning around the clock – no matter if someone is observing or not, she is always doing a thorough job that goes the extra mile rather than taking shortcuts. Her selflessness and willing to service others with a cheerful spirit is contagious and lights up the room. What a wonderful team you have working here at the Fisher House! Having Alexis working during my stay made a tremendous and noticeable difference.”