When Florida football wore black jerseys for the first time in school history last November at The Swamp against Arkansas, Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier wanted it to serve a purpose.
Napier took another step in that direction in deciding to auction off five signed black jerseys, with proceeds to benefit the Gainesville Fisher House. The in-person auction will be held on May 25 at 1 p.m. at 2638 SE State Road 21, Suite 7 in Melrose, though fans also can start bidding online at this link.
Located adjacent to the Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs hospital in Gainesville, the Fisher House provides housing for families of veterans during a medical crisis, surgery or end-of-life condition. Its 20 rooms can accommodate stays of 3 to 5 days.
“That’s the thing that’s unique here is we’re not only helping the individuals that chose that path, but also the people that are in their family,” Napier said.
Florida hasn’t determined yet whether it will wear black uniforms again for its Salute to Service game next season against LSU. But Napier said he will continue to practice of bringing in speakers from all branches of military and first responders to his team throughout the week.
“I’ve had good friendships with a number of people, military, law enforcement, first responders,” Napier said. “I just think it’s a unique decision in life. We all have kind of going about our business in life and trying to figure out our path, but I think it takes a little something special to choose that path, you are putting your life at stake.”
Napier’s family lineage includes some first responders and Air Force veterans as well.
“The military probably reflects life as much as anything that we have in terms of the makeup of a team, sacrifice, discipline, connection with people,” Napier said. “So just a ton of respect overall for it.”
The Gainesville Fisher House just celebrated its 10-year anniversary and is one of 100 in a network throughout the country. The home-away-from-home has housed an average of 1,200-1,500 VA patient families per year and includes a community kitchen and washer and dryer room.
This isn’t the first time Florida football has supported the Fisher House. Former Florida football defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, now the head coach of the Washington Commanders, donated money for a pavilion built on the Fisher House’s grounds.
Volunteer groups help support the Fisher House by stocking pantries with food or hosting cookouts on the grounds of the facility.
“It’s the little things we do here that the VA can’t do for the guest,” said Gainesville Fisher House executive director Patti Fabiani. “We make sure the pantries are stocked and the volunteers, we recruit volunteers in the community, talk about it so the community knows and to spread the word among the veteran community that this facility is here and waiting for them, available to them.”
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun Florida beat writer. Contact him at KBrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @KevinBrockwayG1
