Old Angler's Inn Hosts Benefit for Fisher House

Old Angler's Inn Hosts Benefit for Fisher House

Potomac Almanac

By Susan Belford

12.15.11

Five years ago, Sara and Mark Reges, owners of Old Angler’s Inn in Potomac, launched a Holiday and a Spring Shopping Luncheon to benefit the Children’s National Medical Center, because their son had been a patient there after a horrific accident. He is fully recovered, but the Reges’ have continued their tradition of giving back. They selected The Fisher House as the recipient for donations and the proceeds of this year’s luncheon.

Sara Reges is a nurse, employed by the National Rehabilitation Hospital to set up regional brain injury crisis centers. "This year we chose the Fisher House not only because it is a wonderful charity, but I have been touched by the number of brain injured troops who have expressed how much they appreciate the Fisher House," she said.

The Fisher House Foundation provides a "home away from home" on or near our military bases where families can be together to support their injured mother, father, sister or brother. According to its website www.fisherhouse.org, there are 54 Fisher Houses located in the U.S. and Germany. They are built to house families in suites with a common kitchen, laundry facility, living and dining room. There is no charge for a family to stay at a Fisher House. Annually, the Fisher House program serves more than 12,000 families annually and has made available over three million days of lodging since the program began in 1990.

But even though the facility is free, families must provide their own meals and basic living costs. Members must often take leave from their employment in order to relocate for months or years and struggle to afford necessities such as food, dish washer and laundry detergent, zip-lock bags, aluminum foil, toilet paper, napkins and paper towels.

Each guest arrived at the luncheon with a bag brimming with requested items for the Fisher House and vendors located on the first floor of the historical inn, contributed a portion of their proceeds.

The vendors — Barbie B, Private Quarters and Nighties.com — displayed gift items including jewelry, clothing, pillows, bedroom slippers, purses, nighties and more. The guests oogled and shopped, then moved upstairs for a luncheon in the holiday-bedecked restaurant.