The Royal Canadian Legion in BC/Yukon is involved in a program whereby Veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can be partnered with specially trained dogs that assist them with daily jobs and activities, and more importantly, these dogs provide the Veteran with emotional support.
Just a few of the things these dogs are trained for are:
Assisting the Veteran to find exits,
Alerting outside help during a crisis,
Waking Veterans from night terrors,
Rousing the Veteran from fear paralysis,
And many, many more tasks.
The dogs can also be trained to assist Veterans with reduced mobility and other medical conditions.
This training costs $10,000 a year for each dog and the Legion is planning on training 10 dogs in 2014.
For training and delivery of this program, the Legion works with Courageous Companions, an organization that trains PTSD Service Dogs.
All expenses for adoption, one-on-one training, vet check ups, even food if necessary, are free to a Veteran who is suffering from Clinically Diagnosed PTSD.
AND YES Branch #13 in Terrace donates to the Legion Foundation that sponsors this program from monies raised in this generous community.
How does the Legion in Terrace raise the money for donations to such worthwhile causes?
Well in some cases limited amounts can be donated from the Poppy Fund because this is exclusively for Veterans in need but also monies the Branch raises at such activities as Garage Sales, Meat Draws and Steak Nights goes toward charities such as these as well as to needy projects here at home. i.e. equipment for the hospital.
Coming up the weekend of April 26, the Branch will be hosting a zone meeting for all the Legions in the Northwest.
All members are invited to attend the meetings which commence at 9 a.m. on Saturday April 26, and on that evening commencing at 6:30 p.m,. there will be a special Steak Night.
This is open to all members and bona fide guests whether or not you attended the meetings.
The Ladies Auxiliary is holding a pie sale in the Branch on April 12 and we all know how good those pies are. Come on out and you can get a whole pie instead of just one slice.
Looking ahead to May 10, the Legion will be hosting a garage sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Everyone is welcome to attend this function and donations are welcome.
Applications for membership will be available – you too could be a Legionnaire.
We will Remember Them.