6/3/13 - A last minute surge in support helped secure a $100,000 prize for a local non-profit that focuses its efforts on veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or traumatic brain injury. Stiggyâs Dogs of Howell Township learned over the weekend that it had secured third place in the Home Depot Aprons in Action online voting competition against a variety of other veteransâ charities from across the country. The organization transforms shelter dogs into individually trained psychiatric service animals for military veterans living with PTSD or brain injury. Stiggyâs Dogs became eligible for the national competition by winning one of monthly qualifying rounds last July. With the $25,000 gift card and more than 50 power tools received last summer, the organization was able to renovate the sanctuary portion of its Howell Township facility on Bowen Road to meet the accessibility needs of veterans who stay at the facilities while training with their dog. Petre tells WHMI that the $100,000 will now enable them to expand services so that even more veterans are having their needs met by possibly building a training center on site. Two of the top three winners were from Michigan. The Grand Rapids Home for Veterans came in second place, winning $150,000, while the $250,000 grand prize went to Active Heroes, a support organization for veterans that is based in Kentucky. (JK)
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