Operation Fetch
The Service Dog Education and Assistance Foundation endorsed art and education journey
- "Fetch: Travels With Gander" will feature 22 interviews with the families of veterans lost to homefront battles with PTSD and trauma recovery and bridge sections containing Post Traumatic Success Stories of survivors of Trauma: war, accidents, sexual abuse…
- Since the publication of In Dogs We Trust (a successful Indiegogo funded campaign) Gander, Service Dog and Veteran Traveler Lon Hodge have traveled 17 states in service to veterans and trauma survivors. They have visited dozens of hospitals, community groups, and businesses advocating for veterans, trauma survivors, service dogs, and alternatives to suicide. Since the book Gander, through his Facebook page, has helped place dozens of survivors with service dogs, donated thousands of dollars worth of books to veterans and senior citizens hospitalized, and volunteered hundreds of hours of crisis help, and dozens of internet media and community seminars and workshops
- This next book will personalize 22 of the stories of the 8,000 veterans lost to suicide annually in America. During the journey they will chronicle the Post Traumatic Successes of those who have won their battles with pain and isolation.
- We will develop a PACK of community members and carry out their charitable wishes: Planned Acts of Community Kindness will permit Gander and Veteran Traveler to identify survivors in short term (and legitimate) need that the PACK can easily help directly and with confidence.
- We will publicly perform a Taps Ceremony nightly in every city we visit during which we read the names of 22 veterans lost to suicide. That is the number of veterans who are lost daily to self inflicted wounds.
What We Need & What You Get
It is simpler this year:
- Our needs are meager. We need the money to travel to interviews and to take care of gas, room and board during the travel. And we need a few items prior to departing: Suicide prevention and awareness brochures, PTSD and service dog literature, a simple movie capable camera, and Portable Bluetooth speakers and microphones.
- The perks are simpler this year ;-) We learned last year that we needed to simplify our giveaways and make them immediately accessible to supporters. This year's perks are already in stock and will be mailed immediately after the campaign ends. We have also added in postage costs.
- All Tees, In Dogs We Trust Books, Coins and Coffee will be sent immediately.
The Impact
We hope to spread hope, educate the general public and lower the suicide rate among veterans and others through education and greater awareness. One of the biggest challenges facing PTSD and trauma sufferers is the stigmas still attached to them. Only by being more openly public can we overcome that….
- Over 300 people have emailed or messaged us this year to say that Gander has helped them in some way. We feel compelled to continue the journey
- This is our 3rd Indigogo campaign in 3 years. We learn more each time….
- There but for the grace of God and Gander go I… I hope we can, in our small way, make a difference.
- Here is the best of the many interviews we did this year: Gander, Service Dog
- Here is a fantastic article by Rick Kambic that made the front page of the Lake County Tribune: Chicago Article
Other Ways You Can Help
Some people just can’t contribute, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help:
- Get the word out and make some noise about your campaign.
- Use the Indiegogo share tools!
- Share our updates on our Facebook wall at http://facebook.com/ganderservicedog
- Invite us to come to your town ( veterantraveler at veterantraveler.com )
- Help us identify families to interview. Please use the address above
- Just be a positive member of our community there…
- Read our blog at http://veterantraveler.com
And that’s all there is to it.
