Service dog fundraiser in Peters exceeds goal

Numerous military veterans who are paired with service dogs can attest to their overwhelmingly positive effect on quality of life.

Thanks to the success of what has become an annual event, three more vets will be joined by canine friends.

A fundraiser held June 3 at Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Park Post No. 764 in Peters exceeded its goal by generating $90,000 toward requisitioning animals that go through extensive specialized training by Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs of Williston, Fla.

The nonprofit’s goal is for the dogs to help mitigate the challenges associated with permanent disabilities including post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, seizure and diabetic disorders, and mobility issues. Training and affiliated costs add up to more than $25,000 per canine.

In 2021, North Strabane resident Bri Hall organized a fundraiser for service dogs at 31 Sports Bar and Grille in Collier. Last year, she approached Post 764 about hosting something similar, and the response was such that an outdoor stage was constructed to accommodate musical performances for the event.

Music again served as a main feature for 2023, starting with Joshua Dehoney Ronquillo’s rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and followed by five bands taking the stage: Two Wolfe Moon, TFOG, Jasperillo, the J. Craiger Band and Shady Mugs.

Before the final performance, Shady Mugs drummer Bob Ridgeway, a Bethel Park resident presented a $2,000 check toward the cause to Post 764 Commander Brian DeLong. The donation was on behalf of the band and Bob’s father, Thomas J. Ridgeway II, a U.S. Marine Corps World War II veteran who passed away in August.

Special guests included Craig Hodgkins of Mt. Lebanon, who shared the story of how his service dog, Foxy, basically saved his life, and Sheldon Ewers, a traveler from his Michigan home with Patsy, his new canine service companion.

In conjunction with the event, Fire and Iron MC Station 47 held a motorcycle rally, organized by member Brian Householder and escorted by the Peters Township Police Department.

Contributions weighed heavily in the fundraiser’s success, along with 50/50 raffles, a Chinese auction with more than 50 donated baskets and a live auction of Pittsburgh Penguins memorabilia, a hockey stick signed by Mario Lemieux and a genuine Sidney Crosby jersey.

For more information about Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, visit www.medicalservicedogs.org.