The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Alaska District invites you to cover a ceremony marking the completion of a new storage shed for the Alaska Fisher House on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson set for Oct. 2 at 11 a.m.
Volunteers from the Corps and 2nd Engineer Brigade at JBER used locally-donated materials to build the heated 12-foot by 16-foot wooden structure adjacent to the Alaska Fisher House during three consecutive Saturdays in September.
Although the Fisher House Foundation paid for the main facility, the building did not include storage space. With a new shed, staff will be able to safely store holiday decorations, gardening tools and medical equipment for guests to use, such as wheelchairs.
The Fisher House program is a private-public partnership that provides a humanitarian need beyond that normally offered by the Defense Department and Department of Veterans Affairs. The Fisher House Foundation donates housing located next to military and VA medical centers to enable family members to be close to service members hospitalized with an unexpected illness, disease or injury.
Located on the Elmendorf side of JBER next to the Joint Venture DoD/VA hospital, construction of the Alaska Fisher House started in May 2010. It checked in its first guests Dec. 22, 2011.
The 12-room house supports JBER’s medical mission as a referral center for Alaska’s wounded warrior families along with Air Force, Army, Coast Guard and Veterans Affairs patients. In fiscal year 2013 alone, it assisted more than 500 families.
Col. Christopher Lestochi, district commander, and Terry Parks, president of the Alaska Fisher House Board, will speak. If you would like to attend this event, please contact Curt Biberdorf at 753-2721 by 4 p.m. Oct. 1.
Media will meet in the gravel area on the right-hand side of the road just before the Muldoon Gate entrance between 10:30-10:45 a.m. Oct. 2 and be escorted to the location. On the day of the event, please call 382-1297 with any questions or concerns.
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