Source: ‘You can see the changes’: At Plum event, Veterans attest to value of medical service dogs
Excerpt:
“As a sufferer of post-traumatic stress disorder, Army veteran Debbie Richey left her house only rarely.
That changed with some constant canine companionship.
“I finally started to be able to go out in public. At first, I was a little afraid. I wasn’t sure. I never had a dog before,” Richey said. “I started taking chances: I’m going to see if I can do this. And every time I did, she was right there with me.”
Navy — ironically named as a pup, considering Richey’s branch of service — went through two years of training with the Williston, Fla.-based nonprofit Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Inc. before being paired with her veteran.
“They handed me this leash and they said, ‘From this day going forward, you’re not going to be without this dog.’ And I couldn’t wrap my mind around that. How do you not go anywhere without a dog?” Richey recalled.
But the arrangement works:
“It made me happy with my kids. It made me a better mother, better wife.”
To read the full story, please visit: https://triblive.com/local/valley-news-dispatch/you-can-see-the-changes-at-plum-event-veterans-attest-to-value-of-medical-service-dogs/
Photo: Harry Funk | Tribune Review
Mary Jo has an extensive history working with the media as well as a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology at Northern Illinois University. Mary Jo has worked for companies such as Gannett, News Bank Inc., E.W. Scripps Company, Lee Enterprises, Pulitzer, Inc., Arthur Andersen, and has been involved with Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, Inc. since 2011. Ms. Brandt has had many hours of training in leadership, coaching, and mentoring. Her teams have consistently been highly effective in support of organizational mission and goals. She has one son, Paul who is currently in the Navy, and a daughter, Amanda in college and working full-time for a law firm in Naples. Ms. Brandt began volunteering with Guardian Angels after both her father and previous employer received a Guardian Angels Service Dog in 2011. Seeing the incredible difference service dogs could make in the lives of their recipients, she became involved through volunteering her time & talent to Guardian Angels. Ms. Brandt was then asked to join the Board of Directors and has served as a Board Member since 2013. Recently, Mary Jo has been named as a 2021 Patriot Scholarship recipient from Colorado Technical University. When asked why this scholarship and completing her Master’s Degree in Business Administration was so important to her, she responded, “This scholarship represents how important education is to our military/veterans and their families. I am honored to be part of this unique community. I am already in a career that demonstrates my commitment to helping others, I expect finishing this degree will allow me to be much more effective in my pursuit of working with our Veterans. This scholarship isn’t just about me. It is about how I can help others.” Today we face an even bigger challenge that none of us saw coming during the midst of the pandemic and worldwide economic collapse beginning to unfold. Yet again, Mary Jo is stepping up to the plate to be sure that our organization continues to serve those that need us, as we triumph in the face of untold adversity of today’s world. Businesses will only survive these difficult times because of leaders like Mary Jo.
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