South Carolina Bureau
AIKEN --- A seven-bedroom, two-story brick home at Fort Gordon is the only Fisher House for more than 350 miles, but Aiken County's Veterans Council hopes to help build a similar facility in Augusta.
"We have raised $550,000 at this time and need to raise a total of $1.8 million," said Judith Knight with the veterans council, a coalition of organizations dedicated to supporting veterans and active-duty military. "We hope this weekend will raise that figure a good bit."
Today has been declared Fisher House Day by the Aiken County Council, and the city of Aiken and several businesses are participating in fundraising efforts.
There are no Fisher Houses in South Carolina, and the facility at Fort Gordon is the only one in Georgia.
The proposed 21-bedroom, 16,000-square-foot Fisher House would be located in Augusta on Wrightsboro Road at the veterans affairs hospital and will cost about $5.4 million to build.
"Having loved ones near is an important factor in healing, whether the healing is from wounds, injuries or illness," Ms. Knight said. "In most cases, people have to take time off from work, travel a good distance and then pay for lodging at a motel."
Valvenise Pedro has been at Fisher House with her 9-month-old son since May when her husband, Spc. Ruben Pedro, was wounded in Iraq.
Ms. Pedro was living in Clarksville, Tenn., near Fort Campbell, Ky., where her husband's unit, the 101st Airborne Division, is based when she received the call.
"They contacted me and told me they would have a place for me and the baby to stay" at Fort Gordon while her husband recovered, she said. The recovery would include about 10 months of treatments and several surgeries to regain movement in his hand.
Fisher House has provided more than a bed and roof for the family. Within its walls, Ms. Pedro found a network of support.
"We help each other," she said of the residents. "We have different situations, but at the end of the day, we're trying to get all the information and help we can."
Nicole Smith drove from California to Clarksville after she received word that her husband of eight months, Pfc. Zack Smith with the 101st Airborne Division, was wounded in Afghanistan by an improvised explosive device.
When she arrived in Clarksville 48 hours after leaving the west coast, Ms. Smith was told her husband was at Fort Gordon.
She was flown to Augusta and stayed in a hotel for several days until room became available at Fisher House, where she has been since midsummer.
"This is more like a home -- the support system, being with people who know what you're going through," Ms. Smith said.
During fiscal 2007, 163 families and 56 veterans of the Iraq War stayed at the Fort Gordon Fisher House. The estimated out-of-pocket savings for military families is more than $128,000.
Paula Thorwart and her husband, Donald, from Pennsylvania, have been at Fisher House for 17 days while their son, 21-year-old Marine Corp Pvt. Joshua Heck, recovers from injuries he received during training exercises. Pvt. Heck experienced hyponatrium, low sodium in the blood, which led to seizures and memory loss.
For the past couple of weeks, Fisher House has been "heaven sent," she said, providing a place to rest with support and care while her son recovers at the VA hospital.
Reach Michelle Guffey at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or michelle.guffey@augustachronicle.com.
