Val Hosts Another Successful Fisher House Golf Classic!

By Gary Nager

Congratulations to my dear friend Valerie Casey and her outstanding committee of volunteers on yet another hugely successful Fisher House Golf Classic, which was held for the first time at Pebble Creek Golf Club on October 25.

Val once again had a full field of 144 golfers and had a few additional folks on standby to play in this year’s golf classic to benefit the Fisher House located on the campus of the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., south of Fletcher Ave. And, although she hadn’t worked out the final total she raised this year, Val hopes to match last year’s $25,000 raised through not only the tournament itself, but also the live and silent auction at the post-tourney Awards Ceremony. In the now-seven years she has been working to benefit this outstanding residence — where the families of the injured soldiers in the VA Hospital receive room and board at no charge — Val says she and her team have been able to donate more than $150,000 directly to the Fisher House.

So, although I didn’t play in the tournament, I was on hand for the Awards Ceremony and the delicious BBQ banquet provided by the “Meat Monkeys” from St. James United Methodist Church. Also donated for dinner was tasty pasta from the New Tampa Romano’s Macaroni Grill.

But, the highlights for me were getting to meet — and thank — just about all of the 18 Purple Heart recipients on hand and getting to again talk to Fisher House Foundation Trustee, New Tampa resident and Ret. U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Martin Steele, who actually sought me out to thank me for all I do not only for Val’s golf tournament, but for the New Tampa community.

This guy served 35 years in the Marines, including tours during Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield, and now is one of the top brass nationally at the residences serving the family of injured service men and women…and he’s thanking ME?

No, Gen. Steele…thank you!

A big thank you also to volunteers Nicole Dumke, Alexa Dumke, Taylor Dumke, Terri Mack, Amy Scheld, the Shumans, Nancy Buy, Anna Knowles, Beth Keenan, Rose Greeson, Jennifer Austin, Jim Anderson, Lori Bleckley and the employees of Transfer Technologies.