3rd Snow Ball Dedicated to Hines VA Fisher House Supporter Ken Armstrong Garners Some $10,000 in Assistance

George Mutert and friends organize funfilled event with live music, endless pizzas where friends, relatives of Armstrong – early supporter of the fund-raising campaign to construct Hines VA Fisher House—gather to reminisce.

Supporters like Ken Armstrong, his friend George Mutert and the public are the frontline and pivotal to raising funds to ensure veterans and military families can stay at the Hines VA Fisher House free of charge, no matter how long.  We also need to help these cash-strapped families by providing as many of their needs as possible during their stays,” according to Betty Stamatis, president of Friends of Fisher House-Illinois (FOFH-IL).

From 2005 to 2008, a local grass roots campaign by Fisher Houses for Illinois was coordinated by current FOFH-IL President Betty Stamatis for DMS Pharmaceutical Group. This drive raised sufficient funds to be matched by Fisher House Foundation for construction of a  $5.7-million-dollar, 20-private bedroom-suite Fisher House now on the grounds of Hines VA Hospital.

Stamatis recalls, "We were finding the task of raising over a million dollars rather daunting until a shot in the arm and assistance arrived in the person of the very enthusiastic Ken Armstrong. He especially liked to distribute Defending Your Freedom camouflage bracelets for donations. Some of you may remember these wristbands imprinted with “Defending Freedom” and “Pray for Our Troops." He managed to successfully spread awareness of our mission this way. I believe he single handedly wiped out our supplies!

"Ken generously provided his business and personal mailing contacts for solicitation letters we composed together and mailed. Ken, in his usual disarming style followed up on the mailings. I suspect he did a little arm-twisting to bring in donations. Pretty soon, Ken had his entire family helping out at the annual benefits.

“We count Ken Armstrong as foremost on our list of the construction fundraising phase supporters. He with his partner Kim Ericson gave sizeable monetary contributions to the cause. We will always be grateful for their generosity." Check In Memoriam Kenneth Russell Armstrong.

“We welcome and are grateful for fundraising efforts like the Snow Ball benefit. These funds go directly to help pay for operations, maintenance, groceries, supplies so families can stay completely free of charge at Hines VA Fisher House.”

FOFH-IL Board Directors Collected Donations While the Hard Work was Performed by Organizer George Mutert at the 3rd Snow Ball Benefit dedicated to Ken Armstrong. Pictured (l-r) Mark Garry, Vice President; Betty Stamatis, president; Harry Theodore, Vice president; George Mutert, Snow Ball Benefit organizer; and Lisa Mariottini, Secretary.		Snow Ball Benefit’s Tempting Continuous Free Pizzas Attract FOFH-IL Vice President Harry Theodore.
Speaking on Behalf of FOFH-IL is Vice President Harry Theodore (left) who addressed a packed house of partiers.