Dear Whimsical Women Community,
For the past two years, the annual fall Whimsical Women Art
Show has supported Bras-N-Boots with thousands of donated items that were
shipped to service women deployed around the globe. Your impressive show of support proves that
the women servicing overseas in harm’s way are not forgotten. While Bras-N-Boots is still an active
organization, this year it was brought to my attention that there is another
large void in supporting our war veterans.
This time, the support need is closer to home. Each year thousands of service women and men
return home from war without visible wounds, and struggle each and every day
with Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
After my deployment to Afghanistan in 2010, in support of Operation
Enduring Freedom, I personally struggled with the perils of combat long after I
left the war-zone. While the support of
my family and friends was unparalleled, the love and support of my service dog,
Bella, is what really rescued me in the end.
This year at Whimsical Woman, we are going to support a local North
Carolina organization dedicated training rescue dogs to support, love, and care
for veterans struggling with PTSD.
Warrior Service Dogs is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization
based in Asheville, North Carolina that is dedicated to linking trained rescue
dogs to veterans suffering with the challenges of PTSD. The organization is the only of its kind that
actually links the dog with the veteran and that supports dog and veteran
through the service dog training process from start to finish. Once the dog and veteran are linked together,
the veteran will work with the trainers of Warrior Service Dogs to train the
dog to be able to support the veteran’s needs. One might ask how a dog can
provide support for someone with PTSD?
While the specific struggles with PTSD varies from individual to
individual, dogs can be trained to specifically help a person with disabilities
manage their recovery process as well as provide therapeutic support along the
way. Besides the unwavering love Bella
provides in my life each day, Bella also wakes me up from PTSD-induced
nightmares at night.
As more and more veterans are receiving treatment for PTSD,
the need for trained service dogs to support the veterans through their
treatment process is also on the rise. This year at Whimsical Women, let’s
support our local veterans, rescue animals, and raise awareness of the
challenges with PTSD by helping Warrior Service Dogs. They have a full time schedule working to
train dogs, helping veterans through their PTSD treatment, and raising
awareness of the importance of service dogs- any bit of support they can get is
much appreciated.
Right now, Warrior Service Dogs need your support with
donations of:
-Moist dog treats for training
-Leashes
-Collars
-Small orange cones for training
-Gift cards to Wal-Mart and Lowe’s Home Improvement
-Collapsible dog bowls
-Dog crates of different sizes
-Cash donations to help with veterinary bills, service vest
gear, and dog registration
Warrior Service Dogs will be at located at the entrance of
Whimsical Women. Please be sure to stop
by and thank them for their support to veterans, and while you are at it thank
their handlers for their support to our country!
Wag more, bark less!
Molly Mae Potter, Capt, United States Air Force
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