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A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Volunteers

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Dear Friends,

There’s an adage that says, “One of the greatest gifts you can give is your time,” and I couldn’t agree more. Being that April marks Volunteer Appreciation Month, I’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to all of you who have given so generously of your time and talents to help WCC fulfill its mission. We simply couldn’t do what we do without your support — you are extraordinary!

In fact, I’d like to show you the impact that all our volunteers have on our organization. This infographic showcases a few key stats from 2018.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, volunteers spent more than 50,000 hours (more than 50,000!) volunteering on behalf of WCC last year. That’s nothing short of amazing! Approximately 40,000 of those hours are spent by our Puppy Parents – helping to train future service dogs. What isn’t taken into account are the almost two years they spend helping to raise our amazing pups — caring for, feeding, transporting and nurturing these wonderful future service dogs in training.

All these numbers are impressive and impactful but what you can’t quantify are the life-changing relationships that have been built through our volunteer network, the friendships, caring and compassion and true “connections” that enable us to do our jobs and provide the much-needed support to our Veterans in need. That’s a true intangible, and it wouldn’t be possible without all of you.

Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your unwavering support and dedication to WCC and our nation’s Veterans.

Sincerely,

 

 

Rick Yount

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

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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 3rd 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.

 

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Warrior Canine Connection
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