Stories of Impact Archives - Page 11 of 12

Helping People, Changing Lives

October 7, 2019

In 2013, a dedicated team of volunteers from across the country scrambled to pull together WCC’s very first graduation. Seven years later, the tradition continues with an event that welcomes nearly 500 people and has become a highlight of the year for WCC. Still today, volunteers continue to be a key component to the event’s success. This year, approximately 50 volunteers from 18 states gave more than 700 hours of volunteer service to make the WCC Graduation a memorable day for Veteran graduates and their families.

“I started volunteering at WCC as a way our entire family could be involved together,” said Ericka Johanek, WCC volunteer and self-proclaimed Extreme Puppy Watcher (EPW). “As an Air Force family, it’s a way to give back to fellow members of our community who have given so much. Seeing the change the dogs make in our military members so they can live full and rewarding lives is so rewarding! I love being able to spread the word about what WCC does to our community.”  

While some volunteers are drawn to WCC because of their own military connections, others admittedly are drawn by the puppies.

“I came for the puppies and stayed for the mission!” said Kim Rice, WCC EPW and long-time volunteer. “I helped plan the first event at WCC and was then asked to help plan the first graduation … the rest is history! I love volunteering for WCC in general, but graduation is my favorite. Graduation is an opportunity to celebrate all the hard work of the trainers and puppy parents, but most importantly, welcome the new graduates into the pack and celebrate their new chapter in life. It’s also a bit of a homecoming as many past graduates come back to visit WCC for graduation. It’s great to see the graduates and their families catching up with each other, staff and EPWs, and of course–did I mention the puppies!”

Each year, more than 800 volunteers touch every aspect of WCC’s programs through their generous gifts of time and talent. Key roles volunteers play include puppy parents, puppy sitters, puppy petting, facility maintenance, event and administrative support, and fundraising, among others.

On behalf of a grateful organization, thank you to all WCC’s volunteers for your dedication and support — for at times dropping some of your own responsibilities to help fulfill those of others. Thank you for seeing the need and rising to the challenge. Thank you for sharing your time and talents to help improve the lives of the others. But most of all, thank you for your kindness, full hearts and conviction for serving our nation’s Veterans.

Hubert Company Hosts Fundraiser to Benefit WCC

July 30, 2019

This summer, Hubert employee and EPW Laura Hawley created a recent in-house fundraiser to benefit WCC. The event, which included a human agility course, a pet photo contest, bake sale, and other events for employees and their families, including the WCC puppy cam livestream, raised a grand total of $3,200, making it the most successful in-house fundraiser in Hubert’s history.

The company, which provides retail merchandising solutions and support products, has a long tradition and culture of supporting the community through volunteerism and fundraising campaigns. In fact, the company established a Volunteer Leadership Council (VLC) in 2002, to enlist its employees to help support different causes and nonprofits dear to its employees’ hearts.

“I’ve been aware of WCC since Holly’s Half Dozen and have always followed the organization and the great work it’s doing to help Veterans,” said Laura. “We have a great program here at Hubert to help give back to others, so I set the wheels in motion to host a fundraiser for WCC. We reached out to people who love dogs and have a connection to the military, and it was a huge hit!”

WCC would like to say a special thank you to the Hubert Company in Harrison, Ohio, and its employees who are providing critical funds to support our mission!

“Fundraisers like this one are invaluable to Warrior Canine Connection,” said Jennifer Wilder, director of development, WCC. “Many of people don’t have the expendable income to donate large amounts but community fundraising events, like this one, along with some creativity and some elbow grease can really have an incredible impact on our efforts to support wounded Veterans.”

WCC Puppies Helping to Heal A Broken Heart

July 30, 2019

September will mark two years since Peggy Lester’s daughter, Beth, passed away. Although time slips by, the heartbreak never will.

“She was such a wonderful, happy person, a great mom, wife, friend and daughter,” says Peggy.

Beth went to college in Georgia, got married and had two children, Emma and Evan, and lived in the home she’d always dreamt about. She had everything in life she wanted.

But in 2015, she began having some concerning medical issues. Soon after, she was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. By the time it had been discovered, it was too late.

From there, Peggy, a single parent, endured an intense, year-plus journey into the world of caregiving; she retired early from her job working with special ed students so she could travel back and forth from Maryland to Atlanta to look after her daughter and help out the family. Sadly, Beth passed away in September of 2017 at the age of only 45.

“I was there when she came into the world and I was lying at her side holding her hand when she passed. She was at peace, so I’m thankful for that,” says Peggy.

When Peggy returned home to Maryland — a huge piece of her heart missing — she completely shut down with immeasurable grief. Knowing she had to do something, Peggy joined a support group for people, like her, who had had lost a child.

She also started seeing a therapist who happened to have been a volunteer at WCC. Knowing Peggy enjoyed dogs, her therapist recommended she sign up for puppy petting.

“I could not sleep at night and kept reliving the day that Beth passed and all of the traumatic memories of that day, so I got involved with whelping training and started doing overnight shifts,” said Peggy. “I wasn’t ready to be around people, and volunteering at WCC helped edge me back into the world again. Not to mention, the puppies and mamas kept me so busy, and it just really worked for me. I credit the wonderful WCC staff and dogs with giving me the support that I needed at the time.”

In fact, to-date, Peggy has logged more than 340 hours volunteering at WCC.

“I didn’t go in thinking it was about me, but it really did end up being therapeutic for me too,” says Peggy. “It gave me purpose, made me feel useful, and helped get me out of the house and, at the same time, it also gave me my space to grieve. I know they’re being trained for our Veterans, but these dogs are also helping to heal so many others along the way.”

Peggy still makes regular trips to Atlanta to see her grandchildren and son-in-law, Mike. July 18th was Beth’s birthday. And although September will undoubtedly be another tough month ahead, Peggy says one thing she is looking forward to is attending her first WCC graduation.

The Batchelor Foundation Continues Tradition of Generosity

July 30, 2019

EPW Terrie Bates holding a WCC puppy.

George E. Batchelor had many passions in life. He learned to fly at age 16 and began his long aviation career in his early 20’s by helping design the P-51 fighter plane. Mr. Batchelor served his country during World War II as a decorated Army Air Corps officer, transport and bomber pilot. He also had a deep fondness for animals and the environment, and so when he established The Batchelor Foundation Inc. those were among the key areas of which he chose to give support.

In fact, the Batchelor Foundation’s mission is to provide philanthropic support to nonprofit organizations that focus on promoting the good health, education and well-being of children, animal welfare and the preservation of the natural environment in South Florida.

And recently, the Batchelor Foundation provided a grant to Warrior Canine Connection — the fourth of its kind since 2014, to help support the WCC service dog training programs. WCC is unique from other organizations the Batchelor Foundation funds being that it’s based in Maryland.

“Although Warrior Canine Connection’s mission fell outside the range of the Batchelor Foundation’s typical giving geography, the leadership team felt there was a strong fit and unique opportunity to honor both George’s distinguished WWII military service and love of dogs by supporting WCC,” said Sandy Batchelor, Chairman and co-CEO, of the Batchelor Foundation.

Warrior Canine Connection came to the Batchelor Foundation by way of Extreme Puppy Watcher Terrie Bates, who got involved with WCC through the magic of Facebook and watching the puppy cam. She traces her ties to the organization back to “Holly’s Half Dozen,” when she and other EPWs helped pull together a party to see the puppies — that was when Explore.org, the 24-hour puppy cam, had just launched.

“My affinity for WCC started with the love of dogs, but seeing the mission in action and the difference it can make in a Veteran’s life is amazing,” said Terrie. “I grew up in the Vietnam era where it seemed like we lost an entire generation of Veterans who returned home with PTSD and other injuries, yet there was little understanding of these issues and no support system to help them. We know better today so we need to do better, and WCC is one of the organizations filling that role — helping Veterans transition and reintegrate back into their families and communities.”

A long-time employee of the South Florida Water Management District, a large government agency that services Orlando to the Keys, Terrie got to know Sandy Batchelor when Sandy served as a member of the organization’s Governing Board during her six-and-a-half-year tenure.

Each year, the South Florida Water Management District picks a charity to benefit from their employee’s fundraising activities; in 2014, WCC was selected based on Terrie’s nomination. Sandy volunteered to be the Honorary Event Chairwoman on behalf of the Governing Board and several years later, the Batchelor Foundation is still providing generous support to Warrior Canine Connection and Terrie is still glued to the WCC puppy cam.

“I think it’s always understated how much everybody that’s associated with WCC gets out of their affiliation,” says Terrie. “There are so many friendships that have been made across the country among people who literally would have never met otherwise. They all feel like they’re contributing — certainly, the mission and focus is on Veterans, but the support and connections touch a lot more lives than just the Veterans — an entire community has come together as a result.”

A Passion for Service

May 30, 2019

Relentless rain, puddles of mud and cool temperatures couldn’t keep WCC volunteer Paul Kolze (pictured on the right) from making sure all the Veterans, puppy parents, volunteers and staff had full bellies at WCC’s annual eye exam day last month.

Paul takes great joy in cooking for others and has been roasting pigs for different occasions for almost two decades. Knowing a few hundred people would show up for eye exam day, he proposed a pig roast to help feed the masses. He says it’s always a process of trial and error and that the 96-pounder he cooked up for eye exam day was no different.

“We dug a pit, and, with the rain, it flooded, so we came out to reconstruct it at 11 last night and move it over to higher ground, so that was a first,” said Paul. “Every time you change something, you have to think through the whole process, and you learn something new, which makes it a challenge, but it’s really a lot of fun. I really enjoy doing it, people really like it and seem to appreciate it.”

That “fun” included a tent for refuge; Paul, some other volunteers and WCC staff members all took shifts throughout the entire night tending to the fire, to ensure the rain didn’t put a damper on the flames. Fourteen hours later, more than 40 pounds of roasted pork were dished out to hungry eye exam attendees.

“Paul is just a wonderful person who loves our organization and mission,” said Sarah Olson, WCC volunteer coordinator. “He is always willing to give whatever he can, whenever he can — and he always does it with a smile.”

Paul’s not just known around WCC for his cooking, he and his wife, Susan, have been great friends and supporters of WCC for several years. They began volunteering with WCC as puppy parents. Susan, who retired a few years back, learned about WCC while she was at a store and met another puppy parent who had a service dog in training with her. First came Ashley. Then Moon. And now, Paul and Susan are puppy parents to one-year-old, service dog in training J.J.

“Being a puppy parent is a good challenge,” said Paul. “I think when they’re puppies, they’re like having another child. It’s also introduced me to a lot of friends I wouldn’t have otherwise. This family at WCC is just incredible — all the volunteers, the staff, we all just have a good time.”

Paul says all the hard work and fun times pale in comparison to the ultimate goal of the program.

“It’s incredible just seeing how the dogs can impact lives at the graduation ceremony,” said Paul. “The change they can bring to a Veteran’s life is just incredible — not just the Veterans but also their families, it’s amazing.”

Thank you, Paul, for your incredible service and support to WCC!

BI Cares Foundation Donates $50,000 to WCC Through Viral “Power of Us” Campaign to Support Veterans

May 30, 2019

“Pets are love.” “For the Mission.” “Together. Inspire. Win.”

Those were just a few of the more than 700 submissions of posts and photos shared through Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation’s (BI Cares) “Power of Us” social media campaign. In May, BI Cares donated $50,000 to Warrior Canine Connection through the campaign.

A nonprofit created to improve the health and lives of people and animals, BI Cares encouraged the public to post what the “Power of Us” meant to them by sharing a meaningful or inspirational photo and a few words on social media. Spread over Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, the campaign resulted in more than 700 posts utilizing the campaign hashtag, #PowerOfUs. BI Cares provided a monetary donation for each post for a grand total of $50,000 to WCC.

“BI Cares is an amazing supporter that is making a real difference in the lives of our Veterans and their beloved service dogs who support them,” said Rick Yount, executive director and founder, Warrior Canine Connection. “The Foundation has demonstrated a true commitment to not only improving human and animal health but also to a culture of giving back, and we are immensely thankful for their support.”

As you can see from some of the screenshots, the outpouring was overwhelming; posts included photos of Veterans with their dogs, people with their pets and, of course, WCC supporters and volunteers from all over the country.

“Part of what drives Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation is the belief that people and animals share a fundamental bond — a bond that inspires passion, companionship and a meaningful connection,” said Karen Iannella, president, Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation. “To demonstrate our commitment to this bond, we chose to partner with Warrior Canine Connection, whose work aligns with our mission to improve the health and lives of people and animals.”

Visit @BoehringerIngelheim on Facebook or use #PowerOfUs to see the complete campaign photos and posts.

Boeing Employees Learn Service Dog Training Fundamentals

April 3, 2019

Close to a dozen Boeing staff members recently visited WCC’s Healing Quarters to better understand how service dog training works. Members of the organization attended a “Master Training” Class to get a firsthand perspective on how WCC uses its Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) training as an intervention for Veterans with visible and invisible wounds.

The class, led by WCC’s Executive Director and Founder Rick Yount, included a demonstration of how the service dogs help Veterans and even included a hands-on session, where Boeing team members learned basic commands and how to recognize stress cue alerts.

“It was a fantastic experience to have our partners from Boeing on-site to learn about what we do, how we do it and, in turn, for us to show them how their support helps us serve our Veterans,” said Yount. “It’s really impressive how Boeing takes an active interest in the organizations it supports. Boeing is a true champion for Veterans and has taken a leadership role in bringing awareness to military mental health as an issue that needs continued support.”

The master class was just the most recent show of support for WCC by Boeing’s team. The company recently contributed a generous gift of $100,000 to support WCC’s mission and help future Service Members and Veterans. WCC is one of 443 nonprofit organizations in 47 countries receiving grant funding from Boeing. In 2019 alone, Boeing will devote $13 million for Veterans’ recovery and rehabilitation programs and workforce transition service, in addition to the other program areas it supports.

“At Boeing, our people have unique skills and a passion for making a difference in the world, said Sarah Kyrouac, manager of Boeing Global Engagement. “That includes devoting their time and financial resources to causes that help ease veterans recovery and rehabilitation and transition back to civilian life. We’re proud to partner with Warrior Canine Connection to help those wounded warriors reconnect with their families, their communities, and each other.”

School Service Project Sparks Passion

April 3, 2019

What started as a school community service project has turned into a true passion for 16-year-old Shira Studley. She’s volunteered well over 50 hours at WCC puppy petting, cleaning kennels, handling administrative work and doing everything in between.

Shira’s high school, Holton-Arms, requires all students to complete a community service project to graduate. The 50 hours have come and gone but, sure enough, every Monday afternoon, Shira can be found at the WCC Healing Quarters completing any task asked of her.

A close family friend, who Shira affectionately refers to as her “uncle,” served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan in the Marine Corps and has since struggled with post-traumatic stress. She says his experience, as well as his commitment to service, are part of what inspired her to donate her time to WCC.

“Volunteering at WCC is the perfect combination of helping Veterans and my love of dogs,” says Shira. “Seeing the bond that’s created between Veterans and these service dogs is absolutely amazing.”

Shira’s classmates volunteer for many other great organizations but she is the only student who gets to work with service dogs in training. Shira learned about the opportunity through a friend who had previously was volunteering to puppy pet and Shira said she knew it was where she wanted to get involved.

“I love WCC’s mission and have always possessed a natural comfort working with animals, especially dogs,” says Shira. “I have always found dogs to be animals that desire companionship and are able to give love. When they receive those things from humans they tend to reciprocate and form a real bond. I think companionship is a huge part of why dogs connect so well with humans, they are such social animals.”

Shira has two dogs of her own and says she has been astounded by the time, practice and patience that goes into all the training.

“I wish I could spend more time with trainers because my dogs could definitely use some lessons,” says Shira. “I have learned that it takes a lot of time and dedication to get a dog ready for this kind of service.”

She’s got a few years to figure it out, but Shira says there’s no doubt she wants to pursue a career that involves working with dogs and other animals.

Thank you, Shira!

Rick Yount, WCC founder and ED, Presents at 3rd Annual West Virginia Conference on Trauma Brain Injury

March 7, 2019

March 6, 2019 – More than 200 survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI), their family members and caregivers, and service providers are gathered in Daniels, West Virginia for the 3^rd Annual West Virginia Conference on TBI. Among the speakers on the agenda is Warrior Canine Connection Founder and Executive Director Rick Yount, who was invited back to speak for the second year in a row.

“I am so delighted to have the opportunity to be here in West Virginia and speak at this conference again,” said Yount. “The amount of practical knowledge, expertise on TBI and resources available to survivors and their family members is really impressive and underscores the availability of options, treatment and, most importantly, hope for the recovery for our Veterans with TBI.”

Themed “From Surviving to Thriving: Growth After a TBI,” topics being covered during the three-day conference center on improving communication, sexual health following a TBI, rehabilitation efforts, self-advocacy, behavioral health and substance abuse, among many other topics.

Of course, Rick’s talk centered on the use of its Mission Based Trauma Recovery training model, whereby Warriors in recovery are enlisted to train service dogs for their fellow Veterans. The training process and subsequent placement of highly trained service dogs can both serve as valuable tools in the TBI recovery process.

The Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Program at the WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities is proud to serve as the state’s designated lead agency for the coordination of services for West Virginians with TBI. The TBI Program is a collaboration between the state funded Traumatic Brain Injury Services and the federally funded Traumatic Brain Injury Implementation Partnership Grant. TBI is defined as a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the brain’s function. In West Virginia, anoxia due to near drowning is also considered a traumatic brain injury. To date, no other forms of anoxia are considered traumatic in nature in West Virginia.

Learn more about the TBI Program at the WVC Center for Excellence in Disabilities here.

Be a Hero for a Hero Raise a Future Service Dog

March 6, 2019

March 5, 2019 – Interested in helping veterans who have sacrificed so much for all of us? One way is to volunteer as a puppy parent with Warrior Canine Connection, a local nonprofit that breeds, trains, and places much-needed service dogs with veterans with visible and invisible wounds. Find out about current volunteer opportunities featured in Montgomery County Volunteer Center’s March newsletter.

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