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Fisher House Helps Service Members' Children
(April 11, 2011) |
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| WASHINGTON, April 8, 2011 – Military children of service
members who died or who were seriously disabled in the line
of duty might be eligible for a college education through
the Fisher House Foundation.
Foundation chairman
Kenneth Fisher says the Heroes' Legacy scholarships can be
used by students to attend school in the fall. The
application process is under way and open to the children of
all branches of the military.
“We want to help these
very special children go to school,” Fisher said. “It's just
one small way that we say thank you.”
The program is
for children whose parent died while on active duty,
following Sept. 11, 2001.
And, children whose parent
became disabled while serving might be eligible, depending
on qualifications for the Heroes' Legacy scholarship, at
http://militaryscholar.org/index.html.
In
general, the scholarships will cover tuition, books, lab
fees, and room and board to accredited U.S. post-secondary
institutions of higher learning, according to the website.
The Heroes' Legacy scholarship grants are principally
underwritten by the author's after-tax proceeds from the
book, "Of Thee I Sing. A Letter to My Daughters," written by
President Barack Obama. The amount awarded each year will
depend on the amount of royalties and other donations.
Fisher Foundation offers two additional scholarships:
Scholarships for Military Children and Scholarships for
Military Spouses.
 The nonprofit
Fisher House Foundation
has helped military families since 1990. As the foundation
grew, so did its programs, with the scholarship its latest
effort.
It was Fisher's uncle, Zachary Fisher, who
has since passed on, who founded Fisher House.
Zachary Fisher wasn't able to serve in the military because
of an injury, but began the Fisher House project when he saw
how expensive transportation and housing costs prevented
military families from joining their ill or injured service
members where they were hospitalized.
Zachary and his
wife, Elizabeth, built the “homes away from home” at
military medical centers where families stay free of charge
during the service member's hospital treatment, Kenneth
Fisher said.
”This was Zach's way of serving,” Fisher
said. “Zach believed the military was our greatest national
treasure.”
The first Fisher House opened June 24,
1991, at the National Naval Medical center in Bethesda, Md.
The second opened at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, a
month later, here, and the Air Force got its first Fisher
House afterward at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San
Antonio.
Fisher said he will continue to build Fisher
Houses as the need exists. One such need had existed at
Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Del. There was no place for
families to stay to witness the final coming home of their
deceased service members.
“In six months we mobilized
and built a house for families of the fallen,” Fisher said,
“which in many ways is probably our most-important house.
Right next door we built a little family spiritual center so
families can worship and pray in their own way.”
The
Fisher House for Families of the Fallen at Dover Air Force
Base was officially dedicated Nov. 10 2010, the day before
Veterans Day. | |
By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service
Copyright 2011
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