Charity Golf Tournament Nov. 18 To Raise Funds For Fisher House

Posted Oct 18, 2011 by Howard Altman

Updated Oct 18, 2011 at 10:25 AM

Few places have impressed me as much as Fisher House ,the residential facility for the severely wounded being treated at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital and their families.

With specially outfitted rooms, a kitchen that serves as an impromptu community center, and lounge space, Fisher House gives those who have served and their loved ones a place to be together during often prolonged and painful rehabilitation.

But like everything else, it takes money to run Fisher House – a 16,000 square-foot, 21-bedroom volunteer-run home next to the hospital that opened in 2007.

To that end, the Tampa Fisher House Golf Classic will take place Nov. 18 at the beautiful Heritage Isles Golf Course in New Tampa. The objective is to raise money and awareness to support the Fisher House, a ‘home away from home’ temporary lodging facility for families of wounded military members and veterans being treated at the James A. Haley Veteran’s Hospital. 

All money raised during the golf tournament will go directly to the Fisher House which depends on volunteers and voluntary support to enhance its operations and programs. Our financial support will provide numerous products and services for the family members visiting the Fisher House. Learn more about Fisher House at www.fisherhouse.org. 

In addition to players, the tournament officials are looking for sponsors as well to join the ranks of companies like PaverWorks, the lead sponsor, along with Operation Helping Hand.

According to a press release:

Our Patriot Sponsors are the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Charles Schwab.  We also have Bill Currie Ford, Trenam Kemker Attorneys, BJ’s Wholesale Club,  Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Starbuck’s Coffee, Timothy Muscaro, D.D.S., Saint Leo University, Dallas 1 Corporation, Pepin Distributing Company, Florida Air Services, Zenith Systems and many more joining us this year.  Dinner will be sponsored by the great people of Saint James United Methodist Church in New Tampa.

As a sponsor, your company name will be displayed at a tee, printed in the awards program, and featured in radio, magazine and tourney announcements. There are various levels of sponsorship, our Honor Level Sponsor is a $1000 for a corporate foursome.  Individuals play for $125. Golfers will begin the day with a catered lunch at 11:30 and a 12:30 pm tee time. All are invited to finish the day with an awards dinner and great prizes.

If you don’t play golf, but would like to sponsor a recovering soldier or sponsor a tee “In Honor of” or “In Memory of” a loved one please let us know. Any contribution would be greatly appreciated. If a tee sponsorship is not possible, please consider gift certificates or in-kind donations for golfers including gift bags, raffle items, etc. 

Please make checks payable to Operation Helping Hand, and include a memo on the check, “FISHER HOUSE TAMPA.” Operation Helping Hand operates under the nonprofit tax exempt IRS code 501(c)(3) and receives funds destined for the Fisher House of Tampa.

Ultimately, our goal is to heighten awareness of the needs of servicemen and women returning from overseas. We hope you can help in some way; if so, please contact Valerie Casey at 813-317-8886 valcasey3@aol.com or Millie Nohren at (813)994-7712.