On Saturday, the Marblehead VFW held a fundraiser for Company 2 Heroes, a nonprofit service-dog training program for veterans. The event featured a live performance from the Guy Ford Band, a 50/50 raffle, and a chance to meet some of the service dogs in the program.
Veteran Kate Van Auken started Company 2 Heroes in 2017. After serving multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, she adopted her own service dog, Sgt. Rey, and wanted to provide a service through which qualified veterans could learn how to train their own service dog, at no cost to them.
Van Auken said that being able to provide veterans with service dogs can be valuable as it helps them find a purpose and a “mission.”
All of the proceeds from the event were donated to Company 2 Heroes. To learn more about the program, visit company2heroes.org or email info@Company2Heroes.org