[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5363]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING FISHER/NIGHTINGALE HOUSES

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                           HON. STEVE AUSTRIA

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 6, 2011

  Mr. AUSTRIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the constituents 
of Ohio's Seventh Congressional District to recognize and celebrate the 
grand opening of the new Fisher House located on Wright-Patterson Air 
Force Base Ohio.
  Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is the birthplace, home, and future 
of aerospace, but most people are not aware that it is also the 
birthplace of compassionate care housing in the Department of Defense. 
The base opened the Nightingale house in May of 1990 by converting a 
base house, making it the first compassionate care house in all of DoD.
  In 1991, Zach and Elizabeth Fisher were asked to build one Ronald 
McDonald type house at Bethesda Naval Medical Center, Maryland. What 
started as a request to build one house has blossomed into a network of 
53 compassionate care locations world-wide. Although both Zach and 
Elizabeth have passed on, their legacy continues today through their 
nephews and grandnephews.
  The Wright-Patterson AFB Fisher and Nightingale Houses provide an 
opportunity for wounded, injured, and ill military men and women and 
their families to stay together and support each other while undergoing 
medical treatment. Guests do not pay for their stay in one of the 
homes. Furthermore, each house has a wonderful staff and volunteers who 
provide loving support and ensure all of their needs are met. In 2010, 
the two Wright-Patterson AFB houses assisted more than 600 families 
from all branches and components of our Armed Forces, and more than 
10,000 families since the opening of the first home nearly 22 years 
ago.
  The new Fisher home opening today is a 10,000 square foot single 
story home, with 12 bedrooms, 12 handicapped accessible bathrooms, 
formal living room, large family room, large kitchen and dining room, 
and expanded laundry facilities. This new home will give Wright-
Patterson an additional 1,460 bed nights a year, bringing the entire 
capacity to 7,665 bed nights a year.
  Thus, today I ask my colleagues to join me and the constituents of 
the Ohio's Seventh Congressional District in celebrating the grand 
opening of Wright-Patterson AFB's new Fisher House and Compassionate 
Care Facility.

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