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WASHINGTON D.C. (March 28, 2008) - Ringling Bros. and Barnum
& Bailey Circus is proud of its bond with the military, its
chairman and chief executive officer said before last night's
opening show here.
"It's a relationship that we at Ringling Brothers treasure,"
Kenneth Feld said. "We salute the armed forces before every
performance and right before we sing 'The Star-Spangled
Banner.'"
The circus began a relationship with the Fisher House Foundation
eight years ago. The organization builds homes away from home for
family members who want to stay near loved ones recovering at
military or Veterans Affairs medical facilities across the
country.
Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff retired Air Force
Gen. Richard B. Myers said honoring that relationship was perhaps
the most important part of last night's performance.
"I think the most important thing is that Ringling Bros. and
Barnum & Bailey Circus has made recognition of the Fisher House
a big deal to them," Myers said. "Every night they recognize this
relationship. I think it recognizes the importance of families to
our troops."
The circus took it a step further last night, proclaiming the
Fisher House Foundation a "Lifetime Circus Celebrity." The
proclamation was presented to Myers and his wife, Mary Jo, who both
sit on the Fisher House Foundation's board of trustees, in the
center ring just before the start of the "Greatest Show on
Earth."
The night was extra special for about 100 wounded servicemembers
and their families or caregivers. Ringling Bros. presented them
with free tickets to the show. The tickets were distributed to the
Warrior Transition Brigade, Veterans Affairs and the National Naval
Medical Center at Bethesda, Md.
One of the recipients who attended the program with his wife and
2-year-old son said the gesture was good for morale.
"Whenever they're able to do programs like this, for a lot of
soldiers, it's really something good," said Army Spc. Tim Turpin,
who works in medical logistics at Walter Reed Army Medical Center
here. "It gets them away from the monotony of being at the hospital
all the time and having to do the routines of everyday life."
Fisher House Foundation is a supporter of America Supports You,
a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with
servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is a corporate
supporter of the Defense Department program.
Editor's Note: Military families can also avail
themselves of the Defense Department's America Supports You
program, which highlights home-front groups across the nation that
are providing a variety of services and support to troops and their
families. A listing of these groups and information about their
efforts is available at www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil.
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