Category: K9’s For Warriors

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month and in this months K9 for Warriors spotlight we got a little update on Adam, who suffered a traumatic brain injury, and Blaze.

Kris and I were thrilled and honored to attend the graduation ceremony for Blaze and Adam last evening.

Adam is a Veteran of the US Army and a super nice young man who was so very appreciative of the role we (everyone who donated to my AT hike and everyone who followed along) played in uniting him with Blaze.

Blaze is a super cool hound dog/lab mix…they think!  For you older folks, he reminded me of the Clampett’s hound in Beverly Hillbillies and should be a perfect fit at home with Adam in KY.

We, with friends Art and Janice Hayden, were able to meet with Adam and Blaze as well as Adam’s family before the ceremony.  Pretty emotional for all of us.

It is so rewarding to see the results of your donations and support up close and personal. We rescued Blaze from a shelter and your support will cover all vet bills, etc. forever.

We also provided a valuable tool to help Adam and his family move forward with his rehabilitation.

I have been waffling on whether to raise donations again next summer on the Camino. Last night decided it.

How about we sponsor another K9 and Warrior? I can do the walking and I’ll try to blog regularly…

I hope you are all proud of the good we did for K9’s For Warriors, Sun Dial Manor, and Down Syndrome. I know that I am very proud of you.

On behalf of Blaze, Adam and his family, and Kris and myself….Thanks so much. You are amazing.

Happy Trails.

Just Pete

Hi!  Long time…no talk.

I’ve got some exciting news.  During last year’s AT hike we raised $28,000 for K9s For Warriors.  Because of your generous support, we were afforded the opportunity to sponsor a dog.

Meet Blaze!!

Blaze (named for the white blazes which mark the AT…thanks Kerri Peterson) has just begun his training at the K9s For Warriors kennel.  They use rescue dogs which have been carefully selected by their trainers.

Blaze will eventually be paired with a veteran and provide companionship and support in assisting his Warrior to overcome the invisible wounds of war.

As for Just Pete, I’m getting ready for another long distance hike…really never thought that would come out of my mouth a year ago!  In May I will be hiking approximately 800 miles along the Camino de Santiago through Spain and Portugal.

There are 100’s of different routes to hike “the Camino”.  I will be taking the Northern Way across the coast of Northern Spain and down to Santiago de Compostela.  From there I plan to hike the Finisterre Way to “the end of the world” and then continue on the Camino of the Lighthouses, ending in Ponteceso on Spain’s western coast.  I will then return to Santiago de Compostela (hopefully not by foot) and head south to Porto, Portugal via the Portuguese Coastal Camino.

It will be very different than the AT.  Much of the hike will be along the coast so should be beautiful, but different, scenery.  I plan to carry a tent but the trails go through many seafront towns with hostels…and food…and beer.  Most importantly, I am hoping to not have any big falls due to this terrain being less severe than that of the AT.

I will work on getting the web site updated with more detailed information on this trail as we get closer.

I also owe you the final video from last summer’s hike.  There’s some mental part of me that hasn’t wanted to end it but it’s now time to get onto the next adventure.

Thanks once again to everyone for your support.  I hope you’ll follow along again next summer.

Go Blaze!!

The support being shown for this charity has been amazing. It is truly deserving of all the pledges. I hope to be able to get enough pledges to be able to fully sponsor the matching of 1 K9 and 1 vet (average cost of $27,000). Assuming I finish the entire trail, we currently stand at $15,588.42 in pledges for this charity. Keep them coming as we still have a lot more to do!

You do not have to pledge money to support this charity. K9s for Warriors has been working to get the PAWS Act to Congress for a vote and it is finally there! Take a couple minutes out of your day to call or email your local representative and tell them you support the PAWS act and the new leash on life it gives the vets.

 What is the PAWS Act?

It’s a bill supported by our CEO, Rory Diamond, and Florida Congressman Ron DeSantis to drive the VA to fund service dogs as a rehabilitative treatment option for post-9/11 veterans suffering from PTSD, TBI and/or Military Sexual Trauma. Currently, the VA refuses to fund this therapy that we know saves lives – it’s how we’ve saved over 300 veterans since our organization began. You can learn more on their blog.

How Would it Work?

If passed, the VA would grant a voucher to each qualifying veteran to use with any service dog organization of their choosing. The average cost of a service dog is $27,000. Enabling veterans with this option means they could find treatment sooner, and the nonprofits like us who serve them would immediately have the necessary funds to assist them.

How Can I Help?

Contact your local state representative by going to http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/ and type in your zip code. Your representatives will be displayed to you, and you can choose whom to contact by clicking on their name. Most have a phone call or email option. Don’t know what to say? We have you covered:

Phone statement:
Hello, my name is (your name) and I’m calling because I support the Puppies Assisting Wounded Service Members Act, H.R. 2327. It is currently up for voting in the House of Representatives. Over 20 veterans a day die by suicide, often because they don’t have access to effective treatment. Medication is not always the answer. Our government owes them a choice in their recovery of PTSD, TBI, and military sexual trauma. Service dogs cost an average of $27,000. The servicemen and woman who voluntarily fought for our freedom shouldn’t have to suffer even more after coming home because they can’t afford the treatment that might be best for them. Please support this life-saving initiative and vote “yes” on the PAWS Act. Thank you for your time.

Email statement (copy & paste):
Hello Mr./Mrs. (representative’s name),

I’m writing to voice my support of the Puppies Assisting Wounded Service Members (PAWS) Act, H.R. 2327.

More than 20 veterans a day are dying by suicide, often because they lack access to effective treatment options. Service dog organizations like K9s For Warriors have already proven that service dogs are a highly successful option for recovery of PTSD, TBI and Military Sexual Trauma, yet the VA healthcare system still refuses to recognize this. We must do more to save the lives and honor the sacrifice of our military heroes. Service dogs help veterans heal. When they heal, their families heal, and they return to their communities as productive citizens, pursuing higher education and re-entering the workforce, rather than living in isolation, or worse, seeing suicide as the only way out. However, high quality service dogs come at a high price, one which most veterans could never afford on their own. The average cost of a service dog, classified as medical equipment, is $27,000.

Medication is not always the answer. The servicemen and women who voluntarily fought for our freedom should not have to suffer even more after coming home because they can’t afford the treatment that is best for them. Please support this life-saving initiative that will give veterans the option of choosing a service dog to heal from their invisible wounds. Please vote “Yes.” Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

(Your name)

– Thank you for your support! Happy Trails!