Two weeks ago, the Becker Sons of the American Legion hosted a Country Music Concert that featured the Purple Hulls and Monroe Crossing. The concert was held to benefit the Minneapolis Fisher House, a foundation that builds comfort homes where military & veteran families can stay free of charge, while a loved one is in the hospital.

Fisher House

The homes built for veterans and their families are located at military and VA medical centers around the world. The one in Minneapolis is located at 5045 E 54th St,. in Minneapolis, just a block or two away from the VA.

Fisher Houses have up to 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths. Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, a warm dining room, and an inviting living room.

Since inception, the program has saved military and veterans’ families an estimated $500 million in out-of-pocket costs for lodging and transportation.

Fisher House Foundation also operates the Hero Miles program, using donated frequent flyer miles to bring family members to the bedside of injured service members as well as the Hotels for Heroes program using donated hotel points to allow family members to stay at hotels near medical centers without charge. The Foundation also manages a grant program that supports other charities and scholarship funds for military children, spouses, and children of fallen and disabled veterans.

Fisher Houses have served  13, 000 families in 2020 and more than 413,000 since inception in 1990. 15,000 students have received $27,000,000 in scholarship awards and over 70,000 airline tickets provided by Hero Miles to service members and their families, worth nearly $105 million.

It all started with one… One man and one idea that was sparked by one conversation.

Zachary Fisher was a builder, philanthropist, and patriot. He began working in construction at the age of 16 to help support his immigrant parents. He and his two brothers formed Fisher Brothers and eventually became one of the real estate industry’s premier residential and commercial developers.

Zachary was already committed to supporting the U.S. Armed Forces, but one phone call changed the trajectory of his incredible legacy. Pauline Trost, the wife of the Chief of Naval Operations in 1986, had watched a family exit a helicopter with their luggage at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda and wondered where they would stay. Knowing the hotels in the area are costly, she knew this would be a huge burden on families facing medical crisis.

She mentioned it to her husband, who in turn told Zachary. “I’m a builder. That’s what I do for a living. I can do this.” Zach and Elizabeth Fisher dedicated more than $20 million to the construction of comfort homes for families of hospitalized military personnel to stay free of charge in support of their loved ones when they need it most.

Brick by brick, these houses were built, and a foundation was created for life-changing experiences for those who walk through Fisher House doors.

Purple Hulls

Identical twins make up the duet of the Purple Hulls. 

Katy Lou and Penny Lea Clark were raised on a working family farm in the deep piney woods of East Texas, but that didn’t stop the  Texans from finding their way to the hills of Tennessee, specifically, Music City, where they began touring with various country artists and writing songs for Nashville’s largest publishing company, Sony Tree. 

The Purple Hulls are no stranger to road life and are now blazing the trail as a dynamic sister duo, showcasing their unique sibling harmonies while ripping the strings off any instrument they can get their hands on. They entertain crowds by performing their signature acoustic/banjo bluegrass music, with pepperings of gospel and country.

Monroe Crossing

Named in honor of Bill Monroe, “The Father of Bluegrass Music,” Monroe Crossing dazzles audiences with an electrifying blend of classic bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, original bluegrass and even selections outside the bluegrass genre. Their superb musicianship and on-stage rapport have entertained audiences across the United States, Canada and Europe.

For nearly 20 years this Minnesota based band has averaged over 100 shows a year performing in intimate rooms, community theaters, major venues and outdoor festivals. They are favorites among bluegrass connoisseurs and non-bluegrass audiences alike. They love introducing newcomers to bluegrass music!

Monroe Crossing is made up of five very distinct personalities with differing musical backgrounds. When combined, their individual histories make for a unique sound. The three original members are: Mark Anderson (bass), Lisa Fuglie (fiddle & lead vocals) and Matt Thompson (mandolin & harmony vocals). Derek Johnson (guitar & lead vocals) joined in 2011. David Robinson (banjo, dobro & backing vocals) joined in 2012 and now performs with the band on a part-time basis.