Fundraiser in Peters Township benefits efforts to provide service dogs for veterans

The goal was to raise enough money to save two lives.

According to Bri Hall, mission accomplished.

For a second year, the North Strabane resident organized a fundraiser to benefit nonprofits that help provide service dogs for veterans, with the 2021 event taking place at 31 Sports Bar & Grille in Collier.

This year, the venue was Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Park Post 764 in Peters Township, where a day of festivities including plenty of music brought in $64,000.

As far as the life-saving aspect, Hall is among the many believers that properly trained dogs can prevent individuals who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and other maladies for taking the most drastic of measures.

So the money she and a slew of others helped raise is earmarked for Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Inc. of Florida. The organization “must raise approximately $30,000 to cover our cost of individually training each dog,” according to its website, and relies heavily on donations. Thanks to the event at the VFW, two of the canines will be paired with veterans will be paired with veterans in southwestern Pennsylvania.

The fundraiser at 31 benefited an affiliated nonprofit, Life Changing Service Dogs for Veterans, which has the stated purpose of “preventing veterans’ suicides one dog at a time.”

Founded by Western Pennsylvania resident Tony Accamando and George D’Angelo, the organization is raising money toward building a Guardian Angels campus in Robinson Township, Washington County. Spearheading the effort is Jack Wagner, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who is a former Pennsylvania auditor general and served in the state Senate.

Regarding this year’s fundraiser, Hall gave a substantial amount of organizational credit to members of the VFW, especially Junior Vice Commander Brian DeLong. She also acknowledged the support of the Fire & Iron Motorcycle Club, which raised further money through a ride the same day with the involvement of other motorcyclists.

Hall said she is working with members of the McMurray Rotary Club in Peters Township to provide further support on behalf of providing service dogs to veterans.

For more information, visit www.medicalservicedogs.org and www.padogsforvets.org.