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INDIANAPOLIS (July 30, 2007) - Just days after The national commander of The American Legion announced the purchase of $25,000 in pre-paid telephone calling cards to be given to troops as part of Operation Landstuhl (Lond Stool), an official with the Fisher House Foundation announced his organization’s intention to match the donation given to U.S. troops recovering at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.
“We are going to send $25,000 of our own calling cards to the heroes recovering there,” said James D. Weiskopf, Vice President of Communications for Fisher House. “This is in addition to the periodic shipment of cards we make to both the Pastoral Care Division and the manager of the two Landstuhl Fisher Houses. We stand ready to assist The American Legion in this special program to take care of servicemembers and their families.”
“This is an example of two great organizations working together,” National Commander Paul A. Morin said. “Thanks to the Fisher House Foundation and The American Legion family, the troops will soon be getting $50,000 worth of calling cards instead of $25,000. As a consequence of war, a steady stream of new patients arrives there daily. These cards will all be put to good use.”
Operation Landstuhl is an initiative by Morin, Auxiliary President JoAnn Cronin and Sons of the American Legion Commander Earl Ruttkofsy. It was prompted by a recent visit to the center by Morin and Cronin.
“Brig. Gen. David Rubenstein and his staff at Landstuhl do an outstanding job of making sure the patients there receive the best medical care in the world. They are to be commended. But there are some personal comfort items that the patients could use,” Morin said. “Whether it’s a set of civilian clothes, DVDs, CDs, magazines or books, we want to provide it for them. We owe it to them. These phone cards are just the start.”
The hospital is a stopping point on the journey home for many wounded servicemembers, who are injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. During peak fighting periods, the hospital often accepts more than 900 new patients per month.
Credit card donations for the program are accepted online at www.legion.org and checks can be mailed to Operation Landstuhl, c/o The American Legion, P.O. Box 1055, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1055.
“Operation Landstuhl is just more than a month old and we are already on our way to achieving our goal,” Morin said. “The generosity of the American people has been overwhelming. I am confident that we will meet our goal by the close of our 89th National Convention on August 30.”
The Fisher House Foundation was established in 1990 by the late Zachary Fisher, a New York builder, and his wife Elizabeth. Fisher House is designed to diminish emotional and financial drains on veterans’ families and provide wheelchair-friendly places for veterans to visit. In recognition of the special sacrifices of severely wounded or ill U.S. servicemembers and their families, the foundation donates “comfort homes” so families can face medical difficulties together.
Contact: John Raughter or Joe March (317) 630-1253.
