Armed Forces Day marked by projects to support Alaska veterans

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Two events were held in Anchorage Saturday to celebrate  Armed Forces Day, with hundreds of people coming together to hail the end of one  project and the start of another.

Both the ribbon-cutting celebration for the new Veterans  Administration clinic in Muldoon and the groundbreaking for a new  Fisher House are projects that many say are important to give back to those who  served.

More than 100 people gathered to show their support for a project they say is  much-needed in Alaska.

"These wounded warriors came back from combat injuries recently," said Lt.  Gen. Dana Atkins, commander of Alaskan Command. "They could not have done this  without a Fisher House."

The new Fisher House will serve as a home away from home for families of  injured soldiers and veterans who are receiving medical care.

"When they come to Alaska, they have nowhere to stay when they're in the  hospital," said Fisher House of Alaska President Terry Parks. "So this will  serve as a hotel, if you will, for them for as many days as they need -- at no  cost to them."

There are a total of 45 Fisher Houses spread across the nation, with one in  Germany, but the group says this will be the first one in the Pacific region --  and it will be built on Elmendorf Air Force Base.

"There's a huge demand for it," Parks said. "Most people don't understand we  have 115,000 people who would be eligible to use the Fisher House in  Alaska."

The planned two-story, 16,000-square-foot facility is estimated to cost $6.5  million. The funds have yet to be raised but organizers are off to a good start,  with Lithia Chrysler Dodge announcing a $5,000 donation up front and the Fisher  House Foundation offering a 20 percent match of any community donations up to  $250,000.

The facility will be located between the hospital and the new VA outpatient  clinic.

The groundbreaking of the soil marked the start to a journey ahead -- and an  hour later, just next door, a crowd of leaders and lawmakers celebrated the  completion of the VA clinic.

Ceremonies included a purification song and dance by the Kicaput Singers and  Dancers and the performance of the national anthem, commemorating the opening of  a facility that will serve thousands of Alaskans.

"We've added some new services, we've enhanced our medical service," said  Alaska VA Healthcare Director Alex Spector. "We have increased primary care for  our veterans, physical therapy, ophthalmology, a number of new operating rooms  for surgeries -- so it's just a great increase and will help the veterans of  Alaska."

Organizers say both projects will work side-by-side to give back to the many  who have served our nation in uniform.

If everything goes as planned, construction on the Fisher House should be  completed sometime next summer.

Contact Christine Kim at ckim@ktuu.com