Healing Paws at home show

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Romi White

The Navarre Home Show offers a venue for local vendors to showcase services and products providing practical solutions to homeowners and prospective homeowners.
Since the Navarre Area Board of Realtors (NABOR) launched its Home Show in 2009, it has grown into a community event with services ranging from landscaping and storm protection to kitchen remodelers and Mary Kay representatives.
Local nonprofit organization Healing Paws for Warriors was proud to be among the 47 vendors participating in the 2016 Home Show, after being chosen by NABOR as one of its designated “good causes.”
Healing Paws for Warriors provides post-9/11 veterans diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, or military sexual trauma with ADA-certified (rescued) service dogs at no cost to the veteran.
According to Association Executive Angela Campbell, supporting the local community NABOR represents is vital to its mission.
“In addition to the local businesses, we reserve booth space for any charitable organization that we are partnering with,” Campbell said.
One of the co-founders of Healing Paws for Warriors, Sheila Hale, says the Navarre Home Show proved to be a great venue for the organization to spread the word about its cause.
“The Navarre community was extremely supportive and seemed interested in the services we provide our veterans,” Hale said. “We received several requests to speak with local businesses so they could learn more about us.”
Hale said the purpose of the organization is “to bring awareness to veteran suicide; reducing the numbers one service dog at a time…not every veteran returns from war with a physical wound needing a wheelchair, some come back with an invisible wound needing the service of a dog. Dog are known to increase health a humans health and well-being.”
The Navarre Area Board of Realtors has been a supporter of Healing Paws for Warriors for more than six months; during that time NABOR raised enough funds to provide a trained service dog to a veteran in need.
“We’re lucky enough to attract a large audience every year to the event, and we saw this as a great opportunity to help promote the charity and spread awareness of its good, and much-needed work,” Campbell added. Healing Paws for Warriors welcomes volunteers and supporters.
To find out how you can make a difference, visit the Healing Paws for Warriors web page at www.healingpawsforwarriors.org.