Weigel’s 4th annual Memorial Day veterans fundraising event, “More Wags for Warriors,” will support Lenoir City’s Smoky Mountain Service Dog, which provides specially trained service dogs to veterans in need.
“More Wags for Warriors” is a capital campaign and represents a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance the physical and psychological quality of life for veterans with service related disabilities through the training and placement of highly-trained service dogs.
This three-week fundraising event was selected to reflect on the importance of Memorial Day, May 27. All funds raised during this event will go supporting the Smoky Mountain Service Dogs, located on a 10-acre site in Lenoir City, Tenn.
The program provides specially trained service dogs to veterans in need at no charge. Dogs are trained for many Veteran-related disabilities such as providing navigation and assisting in mobility. The cost to raise and train just one service dog is approximately $22,000 before they can be matched to a veteran.
“It is our goal to raise the funds to train one service dog, and be able to have more service dogs available for our local veterans thru this program based in Lenoir City, Tennessee,” said Bill Weigel, chairman of Weigel’s. “We are honored to be able to aid the men and women who have served our country with a fundraising event whose mission is to bring them a better quality of life. It’s a small step for us in a much larger picture to help those that have so unselfishly sacrificed for all of us.”
Smoky Mountain Service Dogs was established in October 2010, and placed its first service dog in 2013. They have served more than 25 veterans and their families.
Weigel’s customers can participate by donating at any of Weigel’s 67 locations. The funds will be utilized to help double the number of veterans served each year.
