IMS joins forces with Fisher House
The Fisher House program is a unique private-public partnership that supports America's military in their time of need. The program recognizes the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and the hardships of military service by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Fisher House Foundation donates "comfort homes," built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These homes enable family members to be close to a loved one at the most stressful times – during the hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease or injury.
Best Buy is proud to partner with IMS to support the Fisher House program and will sponsor the commemorative Fisher House T-shirts and dog tags for sale to the general public at IMS, allowing all proceeds to go to Fisher House. Best Buy employees from across Indiana will volunteer this month at IMS to help support the sale of T-shirts and dog tags.
Fisher House T-shirts and dog tags will be available for purchase during the following times and locations:
- Saturday, May 17: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (Pagoda Plaza, Coke Zero 500 College Fest and in the Military Area behind the Hall of Fame Museum)
- Sunday, May 18: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (Pagoda Plaza and in the Military Area behind the Hall of Fame Museum)
- Wednesday, May 21: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (Pagoda Plaza and Garage Area)
- Thursday, May 23: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. (Pagoda Plaza and outside Hall of Fame Museum)
- Saturday, May 24: 8-10:30 a.m. (Pagoda Plaza)
- Sunday, May 25: 7 a.m.-noon (Pagoda Plaza, while supplies last)
The T-shirts are $20 each, with a dog tag included. Dog tags can be purchased separately for $5 each.
The shirts feature the phrase "Become Their Hero" on the front, and the Fisher House logo and Best Buy logo on the back. The dog tags feature the 2008 Indy 500 event logo on the front the Fisher House logo and the Best Buy logo on the back.
Because members of the military and their families are stationed worldwide and must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, there is at least one Fisher House at every major military medical center to assist families in need and to ensure that they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive environment. Annually, the Fisher House program serves more than 11,000 families and has made available more than 2.5 million days of lodging to family members since the program originated in 1990. No family pays to stay at any Fisher House. Since the onset of combat operations in the Middle East, more than 5,000 families of military personnel hospitalized due to their service in Iraq or Afghanistan have stayed at one or more Fisher Houses.
In addition to constructing new houses, Fisher House Foundation continues to support existing Fisher Houses and help individual military families in need. Families and friends of patients at any of the military's hospitals can receive up-to-the-minute reports on a loved one by going to the patient's customized web page, thanks to new services provided through CaringBridge. Fisher House also is proud to administer and sponsor Scholarships for Military Children, the Hero Miles program and co-sponsor the Newman's Own Award.
For more information about the Fisher House, visit www.fisherhouse.org.