Nov. 10 fundraiser planned for Our Brothers’ Keeper

Foster House II Sports Bar & Grill staff members Sarah Altamare, Diann Samoda and Melissa Couch hold one of the Our Brothers’ Keeper T-shirts that will be sold during a Nov. 10 fundraiser for the nonprofit organization. Submitted

The organization was established to help reduce the high suicide rate among veterans.

MATT PETRAS
For the MVI

A popular Mon Valley sports bar and restaurant is planning a fundraiser to aid an organization that aims to prevent veteran suicide.

Foster House II in Washington Township will host the fundraiser Nov. 10 for Our Brothers’ Keeper, a nonprofit organization started in 2022 by two local veterans to spread awareness about veteran suicide and let their brothers and sisters know they are not alone.

The establishment, located at One Cook Road, will raise money from 5 p.m. until closing. Fifteen percent of sales will be given to Our Brothers’ Keeper, which has been raising money to donate to Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, a Florida group that provides service dogs to veterans.

During the fundraiser, veterans can show identification to receive a free meal of a cheeseburger, small fry and a soft drink, according to owner Theresa Bashada. There will be a cupcake arrangement resembling an American flag, Our Brothers’ Keeper T-shirts will be sold and a gift auction will be held.

Foster House II regularly hosts fundraisers for a variety of groups and causes, including various Mon Valley youth sports, the Chester Foundation and Moke’s Martial Arts.

This upcoming event represents something new for the restaurant, and bartender Diann Samoda said she got the idea at work.

“One day, one of my customers came in and we just got started talking,” Samoda said. “He was a veteran, and he was from Our Brothers’ Keeper.”

Samoda has been able to get several local businesses to donate to the fundraiser, including Fox’s Pizza, Toscano’s Beauty Salon and Barbershop, Giant Eagle and Angelo’s II.

“I have a lot of community support behind us,” Samoda said. “I’ve been going out getting donations from a lot of the local businesses. All of our beer reps have been more than generous to us.”

The event has been a long time coming.

“Diann’s been trying to put something together for the past year or so, and she finally got all the chicks in a line for what she wanted to do,” Bashada said. “She has a lot of cooperation from my staff; they’re all helping her out with it.”