Saturday, September 26, 2015 saw the residents of Greenwood, IN—and their dogs—out for a grand adventure. The day started with rain and cool weather, so things were a bit delayed, but what a great day everyone had! There were approximately 20 dog walkers as well as numerous people who stopped by to ask about the event and Helping Hands for Freedom. Greenwood’s Mayor, Mark Myers, stopped by to greet the vendors and guests and thanked them for their support of the cause. Mayor Myers has 2 sons that are active in the military.
The two special guests of the day were Greenwood’s very own IMPD officer and Wounded Police Officer of the Year, Santos Cortez, and Robbie, a retired military dog. Robbie was brought to the event by Jamie Bradway, the widow of slain IMPD officer, Rod Bradway. Robbie was the hit of the day with all the attendees!
Major sponsors for the day included Angel Animal Hospital, Indiana Grand Racing and Casino, and the City of Greenwood Parks Department. Other sponsors included Greenwood Animal Clinic, Johnson County Animal Control, and Indy Going Blue. Johnson BBQ had a smoker issue so instead of having to cancel, they donated 15% of their sales from one of the local wineries to the event! Carol Beck, event coordinator for the dog walk said, “Since it was also my birthday, I had my family donate in my name for the dog walk.” With all this being said, and including the generous raffle items donated from local businesses, the event raised over $3,000 for HHFF!!
Helping Hands for Freedom is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that supports military children & families facing injury, loss, and multiple deployments. You can learn more about us at www.helpinghandsforfreedom.org