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Bob Barker Donates $2M To Semper Fi Fund

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Former "Price is Right" host Bob Barker has donated $2 million to the Semper Fi Fund, which assists injured members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.

Barker served as a U.S. Navy fighter pilot during World War II. The 87-year-old former game show host said he was impressed that 95 percent of Semper Fi Fund's donations were used to help injured servicemen and servicewomen and their families.

"The men and women we put in harm's way to maintain our freedom deserve the best care and support we can provide when they are injured," he said. "We also have an obligation to their families."

Barker previously contributed $3 million to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund to help build the National Intrepid Center of Excellence, an advanced facility dedicated to research, diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain
injuries suffered by U.S. military personnel.

The Semper Fi Fund provides financial assistance and quality-of-life solutions for post 9/11 members of the military who are injured while serving in support of Marine forces. The fund provides relief to service members and their families for immediate financial needs during hospitalization and recovery, as well as customized transportation and specialized equipment.

Since its creation in 2004, the fund has issued more than 26,000 grants totaling more than $46 million to injured service personnel and their families.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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