Patriot Service Dogs, a charitable organization in Marion County, is one of five finalists from across the country competing for the Defender Service Awards in the “Veterans Outreach” category.
Hundreds of organizations submitted videos to the Defender Service Awards and only five finalists were selected by the sponsors, Land Rover and Chase Bank, for each category. Patriot Service Dogs (PSD) recorded its video submission on a cellphone with the help of volunteers and a box of chalk.
Founded in 2009, PSD is a local 501(c)(3) organization that is dedicated to pairing well-trained service dogs with veterans free of charge. According to the organization, any honorably discharged veteran with a physical or mental disability is eligible to apply.
Public voting is now open to determine the winner of the award in the “Veterans Outreach” category, and votes can be cast once a day until voting closes at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 6. The organization with the most votes will receive $25,000 and a new, custom wrapped Land Rover 130.
PSD is competing against the following organizations: Military Mobility (Cody, Wyoming), Helping Heroes Hunt (Quitman, Texas), Travis Mills Foundation (Mount Vernon, Maine), and Warrior Freedom Service Dogs (Flintstone, Georgia).
While PSD considers itself an underdog due to the bigger groups that the organization is competing against, Julie Sanderson, Patriot Service Dogs president, said, “If we have any chance, it is because our community is strong. The fact that we have made it this far is proof of that.”
When voting wraps up, the top two finalists will be invited to Destination Defender in New York, a weekend festival that will include curated adventure activities, camping, live music, and the announcement of the Defender Service Award winners.
For more information on the finalists competing for the Defender Service Awards in the “Veterans Outreach” category, or to cast a daily vote, visit the Land Rover USA ‘Defender Service Awards’ webpage.
To learn more about Patriot Service Dogs, visit the organization’s website.