Ft. Campbell's Fisher House

Fallen soldier's dad raises $9,000 gift for Fisher House
Father of 1st Lt. Jeremy Wolfe raised donation through memorial motorcycle ride
By CHANTAL ESCOTO The Leaf-Chronicle

The Fort Campbell Fisher House recently accepted a $9,000 check from an aviation battalion in honor of one of its fallen soldiers.

Capt. Clint Underwood, left, presents Fort Campbell Fisher House manager Vivian Wilson a check for $9,000 from the 1st Lt. Jeremy L. Wolfe Memorial Black Hawk Fund as Col. Ramona Fiorey looks on Friday afternoon. The money was raised at an annual motorcycle ride held in Menomonie, Wis., by Wolfe's father Butch.

The 4th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 159th Aviation Brigade recently presented director Vivian Wilson with the donation in honor of 1st Lt. Jeremy Wolfe.

Wolfe and 16 other soldiers were killed in November 2003 when two Black Hawk helicopters collided over Mosul. His father, David "Butch" Wolfe, raised the money through an annual memorial motorcycle ride in his hometown of Menomoney, Wis.

Butch Wolfe said he didn't know about the Fisher House until he was told the lodging facility for families of injured soldiers needed money to stay open. "We never heard about the Fisher House, and so we wanted to give to that," he said. The memorial ride and auction included 135 motorcycles and 16 custom antique cars. After the event, a memorial service was held for Jeremy Wolfe and those who perished with him. Butch Wolfe said the support in his town is "wonderful," and he plans to hold the ride every year to raise money for the Fisher House.
"It helps us to know that people have not forgotten and do care," he said. "We live in a society today that's so fast-paced and we need to think about what the troops are doing for us."
Wilson said it was a "huge honor" to receive the donation from a family that has sacrificed so much.
"To take that grief and turn it into something good to help those soldiers and their families," she said.
Wilson said the outpouring of financial support is greatly appreciated but it can never be too much. It costs about $100,000 annually to operate the Fisher House, but it doesn't include personal items like toiletries, food and other essentials families need.

In addition to the money from the aviation battalion, the Fisher House recently received donations and or pledges from GM Hummer — $22,000; a golf tournament in Waco, Texas — $12,000; CH2M Hill — $10,000; Altrusa Charity Ball — $3,500; Fort Campbell Enlisted Spouses Club — $3,000; Tennessee State Society and U.S. Cavalry on Fort Campbell Boulevard — $1,500 each; VFW Auxiliary No. 233 and the Bon Aqua VFW Post No. 4641 — $200 monthly pledge each; the staff and students of Mahaffey Middle School — dinner and donations.

"The community as a whole has just come together to help those who serve," Wilson said.
Besides financial donations, other items the Fisher House could use are gift cards or gift certificates to area restaurants or general merchandise stores.

The Fisher House program was started more than 15 years ago by philanthropists Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher and is funded through and run by the Fisher family. The $1 million facility on Fort Campbell has eight rooms and is open at no charge to families of soldiers who are recovering from illness or injury at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital.