Members of the Palm Beach community had a unique opportunity to meet and hear first-hand the life-transforming stories of veterans who found their saviors in the form of four legs and a wagging tail at a special cocktail party held in their honor at the National Polo Center in Wellington.
The heartwarming evening featured recent Pups4Patriots graduate teams US Air Force Veteran Mike and service dog Justice; US Air Force Veteran Diana and Sam; and US Air Force Veteran Zach and Winnie. The service dogs, who never stray from their veterans’ sides, are provided through American Humane’s Pups4Patriots initiative which finds dogs in need of forever homes and trains them to be lifesaving service dogs for veterans suffering the invisible wounds of war, post-traumatic stress, and traumatic brain injury, at no cost to the veteran.
“We are so grateful to these brave veterans who have dedicated their lives to protecting our freedoms and are honored to be able to help them in their time of need,” said Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane. “Thanks to our generous supporters, our Pups4Patriots program is able to literally save lives at both ends of the leash.”
The Pups4Patriots teams and guests enjoyed creative hors d’oeuvres, entertainment by Victor Espinola and his electric Paraguayan harp, and an exciting live auction featuring kayak and fishing adventures to Islamorada and Bahamian vacations.
The generosity provided by the attendees of the Wellington community raised enough funds for a wounded warrior to be provided with a fully-trained hero dog companion at no cost to the veteran or his or her family.
Notable guests include Melissa Burns and Rich Eyring, Alex Hamer, Stanley and Vivian Picheny, Kris and Kimberly Strong,Cynthia Sulzberger and Steven Green, Joanne Weiner, Patricia Raynes, Jean Shafiroff,Patricia Adikes-Hill, Mark Boyhan (American Humane ambassador), Melissa Brusie and Tim Gannon, owner of the National Polo Club, who graciously submitted a surprise auction item of a day at polo in his box with lunch, a private tour and a meet and greet with the players.
To learn more about this historic organization and its mission to save lives on both ends of the leash, visit AmericanHumane.org or call its Palm Beach office at (561) 537-5887.
About American Humane
American Humane is the country’s first national humane organization. Founded in 1877, American Humane is committed to ensuring the safety, welfare and well-being of animals, and our leadership programs are first to serve in promoting and nurturing the bonds between animals and people. For more information or to support our work, please visit americanhumane.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
