Veteran family shocks staff with generous donation
The afternoon of July 27 started off as a normal Wednesday evening for Rebecca Wood. The golden rays of the afternoon sun gleamed through her office windows at the Tennessee Fisher House and illuminated the room as she began logging off her laptop, preparing to leave for the day.
As she rose from her seat, the phone rang. Late afternoon calls were uncommon for the House Manager of the Tennessee Fisher House.
“Tennessee Fisher House,” she said. “This is Rebecca Wood. How can I help you?”
“Hi Ms. Wood, I’d like to make a donation of $20,000 to the Tennessee Fisher House,” replied the voice on the other end of the phone.
Wood was shocked and taken aback. She explained how donations were common from corporations and people who set up trust funds, but this donation was different.
“The donor told me he wanted to make an anonymous donation, and he was writing a personal check to drop off on July 28,” Wood said. “I thought it was just really overwhelming in a positive way. When he told me the amount I thought, ‘Wow, he really thinks highly about Tennessee Valley and our housing.”
The Tennessee Fisher House Foundation serves as a second home for Veterans and their families providing free lodging and meals while the Veteran receives health care at the Nashville or Murfreesboro VA campuses. The social work team works with patients to determine if they’re eligible to stay at the house.
The donor chose to stay anonymous. However, he told Wood he felt compelled to donate on behalf of his brother and father who was receiving inpatient medical care at the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center. Although the donor never stayed at Fisher House, his brother stayed in the summer of 2022 and spoke highly of his experience.
“He told me he was amazed by the level of care his father received while at the Murfreesboro campus and how his brother stayed at the Fisher House and felt right at home when visiting their dad,” she said.
Wood plans to use the $20,000 donation to enhance the porch areas of the Fisher House by adding screened-in porches and fans to elevate the lodging experience. The families often enjoy using the porch to relax from a busy day of appointments, but the Tennessee bugs and summer heat sometimes hinder that.
“The Fisher House is a place where strangers become lifelong friends and family,” Wood said. “I hear from different families about how they stay in touch and share good news with one another. I’m very grateful to hear the donor’s father had great health care at VA. He strongly believes his father is still alive today because of Tennessee Valley and the staff on 1B.”