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YourHub.com \\ Jupiter \\ Stories \\ Holidays \\ Thanksgiving

Veterans Enjoy Thanksgiving Hurricane Feast

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Contributed by: Brittany Jo Miller on 11/27/2008

Red Cross had its Emergency Response Vehicles on hand this Thanksgiving as the morning forecast was cause for a hurricane; Hurricane Grill & Wings, that is. Families living temporarily in the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center's Fisher House were blown away by this hurricane of goodwill. Hurricane Grill & Wings of PGA had ten volunteers prepare fifteen complete Thanksgiving meals for families of VA patients receiving medical care who are staying at the property's Fisher House. Volunteers delivered meals in a caravan of vehicles including two Red Cross cars, one Hurricane Grill & Wings car, and more. Volunteers and staff from both parties met at the restaurant at 10:00 a.m. to load the vehicles and converse about the holiday. The group arrived at the VA hospital by 11:00 a.m. to greet a very grateful group of veterans and their families.

Nationally, there are 47 Fisher Houses that provide "a home away from home" for families of VA patients. All Fisher Houses feature a common kitchen, laundry facilities, a spacious dining room, an inviting living room with a library, and toys for children. Fisher Houses also provide temporary lodging plus food and transportation to the families, as needed. All services are provided without cost to guests through kind donations and support from the Fisher House Foundation. The West Palm Beach VA Medical Center Fisher House, which opened in 1995 and has accommodated approximately 8,000 families, also keeps a full kitchen stocked with coffee, snacks, bagels, cereals and other food items to assist families with their cooking needs. By providing a hearty Thanksgiving meal, Hurricane Grill & Wings of PGA showed its support for our nation's veterans and families.

By partnering with the Greater Palm Beach Area Chapter of the American Red Cross and his team of volunteers, the local restaurant's owner Steve Anderson kept to the franchise's corporate values to be a "valuable member and advocate of the community." Beyond that, Anderson just wanted to do something nice to bring Thanksgiving cheer to a group that has given so much for our country. Anderson, who is a Vietnam Veteran, says of the kind outreach "I understand that our veterans need to be supported and it's special to be able to touch their families with a gift that has particular importance this time of year." Larry Casey, new CEO of the Greater Palm Beach Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, thanked the veterans for their service and was appreciative of Anderson's outreach, as hurricanes and the Red Cross go together like turkey and Thanksgiving.
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About the American Red Cross:
For over 90 years, the American Red Cross Greater Palm Beach Area Chapter, which includes Glades, Hendry, Okeechobee and Palm Beach Counties, has provided relief to victims of disasters at home and abroad, teaches lifesaving skills, and supports military members and families. The American Red Cross, a charity and not a government agency, depends on voluntary contributions of time and money to perform its humanitarian mission. To learn more about the work of the Red Cross in communities, or to make a donation, please call 561-833-7711 or visit our website at www.redcross-pbc.org.

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