By Jason Moxness, Market President, Core Bank.
On the second Wednesday of every month the HATS Club, which I’m a part of, hosts a networking event at a local small business. Sometimes it’s purely social, other times we have a guest speaker, but often times we highlight an entrepreneur at their place of business to tell us their story.
9/11
The second Wednesday of September happened to fall on 9/11, so we felt that we should do something a little different to honor and remember that day.
We were scheduled to meet at BarK – the happiest place on earth for dogs (and their human guests)! So how do you remember a tragic day like 9/11 while you are at a place filled with excited dogs? We decided to donate funds raised that day to Tender Loving Canines, an organization that provides Assistance Dogs to help a variety of people. One of the groups that they support are veterans who may suffer from PTSD, mobility limitations and issues caused by traumatic brain injuries. The dogs that they have in this program are able to help veterans perform their daily activities by carrying and retrieving objects, turning the lights on and off, waking them from nightmares, performing calming behaviors and assistance with balance.
It turned out to be a great event – BarK Owners, Leib Dodell and Dave Hensley always host a great party and their tireless work on their business has been recognized by winning local and national awards in several design and pet categories. But more importantly, we were able to remember 9/11 in a unique way in a unique place by raising money for a wonderful organization which supports the brave men and women who have served and continue to serve our country.
DID YOU KNOW?
- 12 out of every 100 Gulf War Veterans have experienced PTSD.
- 20 out of every 100 Veterans who served in Iraq suffer from major depression.
- 43 out of every 100 Veterans have considered taking their own life after joining the military.
- 100% of Veterans with service dogs report lower levels of depression and anxiety, lower drug and alcohol use and decreased thoughts of suicide. Why? Because dogs help them feel safe, protected and loved unconditionally which allows them to return to work or go to college and are more able to take care of their families.
