VALPARAISO, Fla.-- For the second year in a row, the Twin Cities Elks Lodge was able to secure a Grand Lodge Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant which went to a local non-profit organization supporting wounded warriors.
Exaulted Ruler Rick Woelfl and House Committee Chairman Kathy Casey presented a $2,500 check to Mike Arena, co-founder and executive director of Fort Walton Beach-based Healing Paws for Warriors. They provide American Disabilities Act- certified canines to veterans
“We are devoted to helping our veterans and the pet overpopulation problem,” said Arena. “Once a veteran is accepted into our program they will be paired with a dog adopted from a local shelter. They will live together from that point forward.”
Depending on the individual needs of the applicant they train them with a certified service dog. A certified service dog is allowed, by law, to enter public places such as the veteran’s work place, restaurants, buses, stores, etc. These are rights set forth in the ADA.
“When a veteran and their dog are close to graduation they will be asked to mentor incoming trainees to help them transition into our program,” said Arena. “We feel this is very beneficial to both the new trainee and experienced veteran. Once the dog is fully trained in the individual tasks it will be certified as a service dog.”
Arena served more than 23 years as an Air Force medic. After numerous deployments, he was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). After his diagnoses and subsequent retirement, he heard of a program that paired service dogs with veterans.
Shortly after graduating from the program, he regained his smile and a new K9 partner, Orion. He provides executive management and service dogs at “no cost” to combat-injured veterans for the non-profit organization.
“As a program,” he added, “we continue to grow our veteran founded, veteran led rescue-to-trained ADA certified service dog program for those faced with PTSD, TBI or Military Sexual Trauma. Each of our dogs cost approximately $25,000 to rescue, house, and medically care for, feed and train.”
Healing Paws for Warriors relies solely on the support of the community, like provided by Elks. More information about the non-profit organization is available at: https://www.healingpawsforwarriors.org/