Peace officers raise funds for service dogs

  • Published
  • By Amy Rollins
  • Skywrighter Staff
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  Active-duty and retired peace officers from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base are going to the dogs to help fellow service members. 

The members of FOP Lodge 170 are donating funds to defray the cost of a service dog for one of the many service men and women who are still suffering from the conflicts of war. They are working with 4 Paws for Ability, a Xenia-based but nationally renowned nonprofit organization whose mission is to place service dogs with children with disabilities and veterans who have lost use of limbs or hearing; help with animal rescue; and educate the public regarding use of service dogs in public places. 

The lodge members say they will be donating $5,000 April 24 during the next 4 Paws for Ability "graduation" and will continue to raise money to assist service members with dogs. A service dog may cost $22,000 or more, depending on the amount of training required to help it be the right fit for its new owner and his or her needs. 

"Because they are helping veterans, specifically, we thought this was a good program to support," said Jeff Baldwin, declassification/ security specialist for Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), Plans and Programs, and FOP Lodge 170 treasurer for three years. He is a retired Security Forces member.    

"This is a locally based organization, yet they assist people throughout the country, and they're doing a special program for veterans," Baldwin said. 

He noted that the lodge wants to raise awareness of the organization. Zackary Kidwell, security specialist, 88th Information Protection Directorate, and FOP Lodge 170 vice president, identified the organization as a good fit for the group's funds. 

The president of the lodge is Michael Mills, security specialist, AFLCMC, Agile Combat Support Directorate. 

"Just with people I've known and through my deployments, dogs can be good for people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder," the Iraq veteran said. "If we can do something to help pay for a dog for somebody, to help them, I think that's great." 

"We are thrilled that FOP Lodge 170 is taking on 4 Paws for Ability as their project this year and donating the funds," said Kelly Camm, the organization's development director. "They are offering to continue to help us. We have no other funding available for our veterans program; in the past it's been from foundations and private donors, and we went through that ... so this comes at a perfect time. So that we can continue the work that we're doing and continuing to help as many veterans in need as possible." 

This is not the first time the lodge has supported the military community. 

Last year it donated funds to the 88th Security Forces Squadron to provide assistance to the families of deployed members, especially those of lower ranks. 

More about 4 Paws for Ability 

4 Paws for Ability assists veterans with mobility problems or hearing loss resulting from combat injuries. The disability may be a loss of a limb, balance issues, spinal injury, deafness or other. 

"Though this is a smaller program within the organization, it remains one we are passionate about and proud to offer to those veterans who have lost some of their own independence fighting for the independence of others," the organization's website states. 

Service dogs are trained to meet each veteran's specific needs which could include:     balancing; standing and bracing; helping to pull a manual wheelchair; turning lights on and off; opening household doors; pushing buttons to open automatic doors in public; retrieving dropped items; retrieving a phone in an emergency; retrieving items from shelves and counters; paying a cashier; carrying items in a backpack; any other skill that can help the individual live a more independent life. 

Once a service dog has been fully trained, the veteran will spend 12 days in Xenia. During that period at the training facility, individuals will work with and become accustomed to their service dog. 

Veterans who are interested and who meet the qualifications may can contact 4 Paws for Ability via its website, 4pawsforability.org, or email Karen Shirk at karen4paws@aol.com.