Going forward, we’d like to highlight employees who are dedicating their time to making a difference in their com- munities. For many, volunteering would fall under the “having some fun” category of our Culture. For others, it can fulfill a part of improving personal wellness as something that boosts their mood, focuses on helping Volunteer Spotlight Sarah Clemons by Erika Meiners
others, and reduces stress. No matter the reason people start volunteering, they typically find that they gain more out of the experience than they thought they would. Such is the case for District Sales Manager, Sarah Clemons. Sarah and her daughter, Shelby, starting volunteering with Healing 4 Heroes about a year ago. Their passion for helping animals led them to this local animal clinic that trains dogs from shelters to be paired up with military veterans. Located in Peachtree City, Georgia, Healing 4 Heroes ultimately does two things for their community: They save unwanted dogs from shelters (some which are abused or malnourished) by training them to be service companions and they help military veterans. While the clinic works on training the dogs to be better behaved and able to comfort people with PTSD, Sarah and Shelby volunteer their time by walking the dogs and giving them a little time for socialization and fun. Every three months, Healing 4 Heroes holds a Veteran’s Event, where they invite veterans from all over the country to come and find a trained service companion dog. Veterans will meet with all of the dogs who have recently been trained and will work with trainers for find the perfect match. Once matched, the veteran and their new dog head over to a nearby pet-friendly hotel where they will spend the next 4 days working with trainers, bonding with their new dog, and are hopefully leaving fully prepared to head home together. Sarah and Shelby love going to Veteran’s Events to see so many of the dogs they’ve bonded with find a forever home. Healing 4 Heroes was started in 2011 by veteran Piper Hill. After returning from multiple tours in Iraq and Afghan- istan, Piper found that having a dog provided the support she needed while suffering from PTSD. Looking for a way to give back to those who gave so much to their country, she decided she would start her non-profit by train- ing companion dogs for veterans, specifically those dealing with PTSD. She currently spends much of her time traveling across the country spreading awareness of this organization and collecting donations to cover the costs of anything they need at the clinic, including kennels and leashes to send home with the newly adopted dogs. You can find more information on www.healing4heroes.org. Giving back to the community and helping animals and veterans may be why Sarah and Shelby started volunteering with Healing 4 Heroes, but Sarah is thrilled that she’s also gained some good, quality (& cell phone free!) time with her daughter every week. Thank you to Sarah and Shelby for dedicating so much time to this wonderful organization and helping to make a difference in your community! The dogs pictured are just some of the dogs that Sarah and Shelby have walked this past year. Sarah is happy to report that they have both been adopted.
April, May & June 2018 Crest Ink 13
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