A Gift That Keeps on Giving - Thank You Penny Fischer

Since 1997 many of the 43,000 children who have come to Operation School Bell® have received books, in addition to new school clothing, thanks to a memorial bequest.

Operation School Bell is one of the philanthropic programs managed by Assistance League® of Indianapolis.  Member Volunteers of Assistance League have raised funds for and run this program which provides school clothes and winter jackets for disadvantaged children in our community since 1984.  The children are selected by school personnel based on need and bussed to the Operation School Bell shop to select their new clothing, hygiene items, school supplies and BOOKS.

In February 1997 Penny Fischer passed away.  Penny had been a committed member of Assistance League of Indianapolis.  Penny’s family and husband, Charlie, wanted her memory to live on and made the decision to donate her memorials to Operation School Bell.  For eighteen years the interest from these memorials has been used to purchase books for children who rarely have books of their own.  This fall some of the principle was used to purchase beautiful bookcases so the children can more easily search for the books they would like to take home.

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Sandy Speer, Vickie Theis and Judy Tomke, friends of Penny and 24 year member volunteers of Assistance League, admired the bookcases and remembered the contributions of time and talent Penny had given the organization during her life.  

“Penny would have been pleased to know how many children are encouraged to read through the legacy she left.  And her family is comforted knowing her memory lives on in the excitement the children have owning books.” said Penny’s close friend, Sandy Speer.


Since 1997 others have seen how much the new books mean to the children and have made additional contributions of money and books, so that now each child served at Operation School Bell selects two new books.