COMMUNITY groups have raised funds to sponsor a puppy with Young Diggers Victoria, which partners assistance dogs with defence veterans and first responders.<\/p>\n
The 8\/7th Battalion Association, Newport RSL, Ballarat Scrap Metal Recyclers and MaxiTRANS have raised a combined $5000 for the sponsorship through a series of initiatives.<\/p>\n
The donation will pair one assistance dog with a veteran, police officer, firefighter, or paramedic, and MaxiTrans spokesperson and 8\/7th reservist Chris Liston said it meant support for an \u201cunder the radar\u201d organisation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Young Diggers are so low-to-the-ground and doing this good work. They\u2019re 100 per cent volunteers working on 100 per cent donations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we\u2019re doing today helps people, in the leadup to Anzac Day, to remember there\u2019s living needs for servicepeople and those that have had uniforms on.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, we produced $1100 of seed funding from the company, which then got some more momentum with the other groups in building this as a community initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n
Each assistance dog is specially trained to provide mental health and emotional support to veterans and first responders with PTSD.<\/p>\n
YDV were given the cheque at the Arch of Victory last Thursday in an effort to raise awareness for the organisation and their efforts.<\/p>\n
The group fund is part of MaxiTrans\u2019 community engagement sponsorship program, and Mr Liston said a similar donation made to YDV by the 8\/7th Battalion Association several years ago sparked the idea for the joint endeavour.<\/p>\n
YDV currently has over 12 dogs ready to be partnered, and director Carole Doyle said the organisation aims to assist people who\u2019ve served their country.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur dogs get these people out socialising in the community, they get them active and out of their own heads, and that\u2019s the whole idea of what we\u2019re trying to achieve,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese people have either fought for their country or they\u2019ve served it via first response, and this is a way for us to give back and say thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
COMMUNITY groups have raised funds to sponsor a puppy with Young Diggers Victoria, which partners assistance dogs with defence veterans and first responders. The 8\/7th Battalion Association, Newport RSL, Ballarat Scrap Metal Recyclers and MaxiTRANS have raised a combined $5000 for the sponsorship through a series of initiatives. The donation will pair one assistance dog […]<\/p>\n