Building a place of refuge for the families of wounded warriors



MILWAUKEE -- To commemorate the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a large donation was made to help build Wisconsin's first Fisher House -- meant to provide a place of refuge for families of wounded soldiers.

The investment firm Ziegler granted a $10,000 gift to help build Wisconsin's first Fisher House. Fisher House provides free or low-cost lodging for families of injured soldiers. It will serve as a place of refuge for families while their loved ones are treated at Milwaukee's VA Hospital.

"A family`s love is great medicine and this is something that will really allow them to not only heal the wounded warrior, but also help heal the family as they go on with life," Dan Buttery with the Board of Directors for Fisher House Wisconsin said.

There are dozens of Fisher Houses in operation across the country. Advocates have been pushing to have one built in Milwaukee as 8,000 Iraq and Afghanistan vets are being treated at the VA Hospital.

"These veterans are from coming across the United States, not just across the state. While they are here receiving their treatment, this is a way for their family members to stay and be close to them and be bedside while they are going through the recovery process," Buttery said.

Many times the families staying at the Fisher House will lean on each other for support.

"Part of it is learning to cope and to positively cope with what`s happening in their lives," Buttery said.

On the anniversary of September 11th, this initiative was meant to honor the men and women who have fought for our nation's freedom.

A spokesperson with Fisher House Wisconsin said they hope to break ground on the facility on the Milwaukee VA grounds in 2013.

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