Last year, David Coker - the president of the Fisher House Foundation, Inc. - announced that they were launching a campaign to build a second Fisher House on Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Since its inception, all of the Fisher Houses have saved active duty military and veteran families an estimated $192 million in lodging and transportation expenses that they would've spent to travel and stay near a loved one being cared for at a military medical treatment facility.

At JBLM's own Fisher House, which typically operates at 100 percent capacity, more than 300 families were helped in 2011 and 410 families in 2012. The JBLM Fisher House alone saved families who needed to remain close to Madigan Army Medical Center more than $434,000 (using the local per diem rate) in the 2012 fiscal year by providing 3,628 nights of stays. On average, a family will stay at the JBLM Fisher House for up to 16 days and while they use it primarily for room and board, it can also serve as an informal support system for the guests.

The Fisher House Foundation is joined in the JBLM campaign by the Bonneville Seattle Media Group, which reaches approximately one million people in a given week via its online news site and three radio stations. Furthermore, the Mariners and Seahawks organizations have continually offered support and the players in pinstripes recently took part in a fundraiser over Memorial Day Weekend.

"We're hopeful to get started with the contractor, block off the area and even break ground in July," said Jodi Land, JBLM Fisher House manager.

The new house is slated to be a one-story structure, larger than the existing eight-bedroom JBLM house and located near the Madigan's Medical Mall. Specifically, the second house will have 12 rooms, including an on-site office, as well as a built-in storage room and oversized kitchen, living room and dining room.

"Best of all, there will be a very large laundry room in the new house, which the families will really appreciate," she said. "It will be great to have all this extra room.

"We've been raising money all year but of course we're still collecting donations," added Land.

Luckily, since the project is not Army-funded, the budget has not been impacted by the DoD's cutbacks and the fundraising efforts are not being restricted. To make a tax-deductable donation, visit http://mynorthwest.com/category/fisherhouse or text VETS to 20222 to make a $10 donation.