On Friday, November 10th, Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs broke ground on the Pennsylvania Campus, a multi-million-dollar, state-of-the-art center for raising, training, and donating service dogs for veterans and first responders in Robinson Township, Washington County.
With around 230 people in attendance, including community members, politicians, multiple media outlets, and other notable individuals, the groundbreaking event had incredible support from the community, as well as all the generous individuals involved with the project.
Mary Jo Brandt, COO of Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, kicked off the event by welcoming attendees and announcing the Presentation of the Colors by Butch Burke, the President of Vietnam Veterans Inc., which was followed by an invocation by Pastor Brian Janssen from Bethany Presbyterian Church in Bridgeville. Sylee Gibson, Chief Administrative Officer at Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, followed the invocation by singing a stunning rendition of the National Anthem.
Notable speakers at the event who have shown immense support for the campus included Nate Navala from Congressman Reschenthaler’s Office, PA Senator Camera Bartolotta, John Campbell, the Historian and voice of Robinson Township, and Tony Accamando, the Founder of Life Changing Service Dogs for Veterans who introduced Guardian Angels to SW Pennsylvania nine years ago.
Principles from Lennon, Smith, Souleret Engineering, Jendoco Construction Company, and Avon Design Group were also in attendance.
Carol Borden, Founder and CEO of Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, spoke about the project, sharing her vision for the future of this campus and how it will positively impact countless lives and even save lives. She thanked the many generous donors and others who have played a key role in helping the organization make the Pennsylvania Campus a reality.
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs would like to thank the sponsors, speakers, donors, organizations, volunteers, staff members, and community members who have helped make the Pennsylvania Campus possible. This first-of-its-kind, 12-building campus will allow us to serve the high concentration of veterans in Pennsylvania and the northeastern region of the United States. Additionally, its presence will create hundreds of jobs for people in the region, allowing us to give back in many ways.
The Pennsylvania Campus is expected to be partially operational by the end of next year and should take at least two years to complete. The campus is estimated to cost somewhere around $25 million to complete, which has risen due to inflation. The organization has about a third of the funding for the project and continues to raise money for the construction.
If you would like to learn more about how you can help support the construction of the Pennsylvania Campus and help us bring our life-saving mission to the northeastern region of the U.S., visit our Pennsylvania Campus Page today!
Mrs. Borden’s expertise and accomplishments are acknowledged by numerous national awards from various industries and agencies including the 2018 Corporate Pet Industry Woman of the Year and multiple awards for her organization’s work in mental health and suicide prevention.
She is frequently requested as a Keynote Speaker, and as an Industry Consultant to teach service dog laws to judicial systems, attorneys, and businesses, and to assist in service dog bills in multiple states that were passed into law. In 2020, she started an Institute for Higher Learning and the Borden Veterinary Hospital. Additionally, she has written and teaches college-accredited/VA-approved apprenticeship courses on dog training and service dog training.
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