Many Ways to Assist Vets

Distributor Sponsors Fisher Houses for Illinois Benefit

Raising over 3.5 million to Provide Free Lodging for Families of Wounded Soldiers, Ailing Veterans in Medical Crises

Chicago, IL – Fisher Houses for Illinois Co-Chairs Sam Lazich, President of DMS Pharmaceutical Group, and Bill Anderson, Executive Vice President explains, "The first 21-suite, $3.5 million Fisher House in Illinois will be built on the Hines VA Hospital grounds officially designated as government property. The local funding surpassed the $1.75m goal that was needed to begin construction of the Illinois Fisher House. The national Fisher House Foundation will match these funds and build the home to provide temporary lodging for military patients' families. The National Fisher House will present the house as a gift to Hines VA.

The 21 fully furnished suites are like a Ronald McDonald Home, but specifically for families of injured veterans. This first Illinois Fisher House will be a "HOME AWAY FROM HOME" for military families to stay in at no cost while their loved ones recuperate. Hines will be the first VA medical center in the Midwest to receive a Fisher House slated to open December 2009.

"Fisher Houses for Illinois has surpassed the $3.5m goal need to work with the national Fisher House Foundation ahead of the 2007 deadline. We are delighted we have continuing assistance from fellow Illinois volunteer organizations to keep the momentum going for the rest of the year on the mission to support our military and their families. We encourage everyone to support the Fisher House for Hines so its doors open as soon as possible to military families from 16 states facing medical crises." according to Lazich.

"Family members are a critical part of the care needed to heal our Wounded Warriors. The lack of the Fisher House at Hines VA Hospital means that our service members are faced with either paying for their family members out of pocket at a time when they can least afford it or they must face the grueling work of rehabilitation without the love and comfort of family nearby. We have the opportunity to serve these brave men and women who have given so much. Let's work together and build a fisher House for our heroes and their families," says Fisher House for Hines Honorary Chair Tammy Duckworth, Illinois VA Director and military veteran.

Hines VA has a state-of-the-art blind and spinal cord injury centers where veterans come to for treatment from the country's top doctors and where they also learn to live with their disabilities. The Fisher House will allow the these veterans to learn to work with their disabilities and have their family members there- wife, sibling, parent, children- telling them how much they matter and the disabilities don't make a difference. The vets and their families can recover from their wounds cohesively.

The many fundraisers from Golf Classics to Lakefront Cruises proved to be a great success, bringing many together to help support our soldiers. The turn out for these events were overwhelming. Adding to the completion of the finical goal earlier then expected.

Hines VA Director Nathan L. Geraths states, "Hines VA Hospital, largest VA facility in Illinois where more then one million veterans live. We serve some 300,000 of these veterans. Hines is home to a number of specialized VA programs such as our state-of- the-art Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) and Blind Rehabilitation (BRC) Centers serving veterans from 16 surrounding states as well. The Spinal Cord Injury and Blind Rehabilitation Center programs have ministered to almost 2,260 Operation Iraqi and Enduring Freedom veterans with long stays after being severely injured on the battlefield.

"A Fisher House on Hines grounds would allow us to offer our patients' families free accommodations only minutes away so they can be near their loved ones at the most stressful times – during hospitalization for injury, illness, or disease."

To date, DMS has been responsible for going beyond the goal of $3.5m in contributions to Fisher House Foundation via direct corporate donations and as Founding Sponsor of annual fundraising benefits:

2004 – 2008 Fisher House Foundation Benefit Fundraiser………………………..3,500,0000