FISHER HOUSE - HELPING MILITARY FAMILIES

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Serving up steaks, helping veterans, Wounded Warriors and having a good time.

At American Legion Post 44 on Alabama 59 in Gulf Shores, that's just a typical Friday night.

"We have it every Friday night," said new Post Commander Paul Knoch. "bout the only time we don't have it is if it falls on Christmas or New Year's or something like that. A big holiday."

Steaks are served up from 5-7 p.m. followed by a live band from 7-11 p.m. And it always draws a crowd.

"We have anywhere, generally, from right at 100 people to anywhere upwards of 350 people in the winter when the snowbirds are down," he said. "We get real big crowds in the wintertime. That's all in a two-hour period. The largest number we've put through is 340-something in a two-hour period."

For $11 you get a ribeye steak and all the fixings. with proceeds helping veterans in the community and other worthy causes.

"We just went up a dollar because of the sales taxes," Knoch said. "It was 10 bucks for a long, long time."

The public is always invited to attend events at the post.

"We're actually considered the friendiest post in America," Knoch says with a grin. "It's an open post, open to the public, anybody can come. You don't have to be a member to be there."

Money raised on steak night is collected for the Wounded Warrior program which helps veterans who lost limbs during their time of service. On a recent steak night, the post gave $15,000 to the Fischer House in San Antonio.

"We had the vice president of the Fisher House which gives support to the families that are staying with their soldiers that are in rehab in San Antonio," Knoch said. "They took a check from us for $15,000. There was $6,000 from the Women's Auxiliary and $9,000 from the post itself."

Also on Friday nights, there is a 50-50 raffle drawing. Those present buy a ticket for a chance to win half of the total amount raised. The other half goes to various charities. Various groups within the Legion split the bounty for their charitable works.

"It goes mostly to the Wounded Warriors," Knoch said. "The Women's Auxiliary has theirs the first two weeks of the month, the Sons have it the third week and the Legion itself does it on the fourth Friday and the last Friday of the month if we have five Fridays."

Sons of the Legion are members who weren't actually in the military but have relatives who served. Their main charity is the Children's Miracle Network, a group that helps area Children's Hospitals.

The Women's Auxiliary donates its portion to the Wounded Warrior project and the Lakeshore Foundation which builds prosthetics for injured soldiers.

Other Legion activites include a Birthday Bash on the last Sunday of each month to honor the month's birthdays and anniversaries and prime rib night on Tuesdays for $11. Roger and Elaine Beasley provide live music on Sunday and Tuesday nights.

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