Belle Vernon Rotary donates to Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs fund
By the MVI
The Belle Vernon Rotary recently donated to a nonprofit organization that places medical service dogs with veterans.
The Belle Vernon Rotary Club recently hosted Rotary District 7305 Gov. John Hartman and Bob Rupp and Johnny Mock, active members of the District’s Veterans Initiative Committee.
During the meeting, they welcomed guest speaker Jack Wagner, a veteran, former Pittsburgh councilman, Pennsylvania state senator, and auditor General.
Wagner, who is now a spokesperson for Guardia...
By the MVI
The Belle Vernon Rotary recently donated to a nonprofit organization that places medical service dogs with veterans.
The Belle Vernon Rotary Club recently hosted Rotary District 7305 Gov. John Hartman and Bob Rupp and Johnny Mock, active members of the District’s Veterans Initiative Committee.
During the meeting, they welcomed guest speaker Jack Wagner, a veteran, former Pittsburgh councilman, Pennsylvania state senator, and auditor General.
Wagner, who is now a spokesperson for Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, explained there are currently 430 dogs assigned to veterans by the organization.
Guardian Angels is based in Florida, with a second site to be built in McDonald, Washington County, Pa., on a 102-acre parcel.
This organization was established in 2010 by Fo rescue, raise, train, and donate service dogs to assist those with permanent disabilities, including PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, Seizure and Diabetic disorders, Mobility issues, and more. “Being here will enable us to serve more people throughout Pennsylvania and the northeastern region of the United States in many ways,” said founder and Chief Executive Officer Carol Borden.
Borden said the hospital will eventually offer low-cost veterinary care to the community.
“After visiting Pittsburgh for nearly a decade, we have had the pleasure of meeting many incredible people in southwestern Pennsylvania and throughout the region who have embraced and supported our mission. It felt right to bring our first campus outside of Florida to this area,” said Borden.
The groundbreaking ceremony will be held 11:30 a.m. Nov. 10 at 900 Beagle Club Rd., McDonald, PA 15057.
Hartman, a veteran and former police chief of the Southwest Regional Police Department in Belle Vernon, adopted the Guardian Angels as his district project, setting an initial fundraising goal of $50,000. But since one dog requires $25,000 in training, the goal has been increased to $100,000.
To help Hartman reach his goal, the Belle Vernon Rotary donated $3,000 to the Guardian Angels Medical Service.
For more information on this organization, visit www.medicalservicedogs.org
For more information on Belle Vernon Rotary, visit www.bvarotary.com and Facebook.
