Posts by webdev

Norman J. Burgess & Benning

Norman J. Burgess & Benning

Norman J. Burgess & Benning is a 67-year-old Army Veteran suffering from combat-related PTSD due to the time he spent in Vietnam. After he had been out of the workforce for some time, his PTSD symptoms started to increase, at which time he sought help from the Veterans Administration. In addition to the PTSD, this…

Louijoel O. and Brooklyn

Louijoel O. and Brooklyn is another veteran that will be attending our June Team Training. He is a 36-year-old from Central Florida. He suffers from PTSD/TBI and has major anxiety and depression. He has a hard time trusting people and feels the companionship from someone who does not discriminate or judge over his disability would…

Ryan and Slate

Ryan & Slate

U.S. Navy veteran, Ryan Holman, suffered a traumatic brain injury while serving as a Corpsman with 1st Tank Battalion (USMC) in Iraq and has been diagnosed with PTS. Ryan, who works as Freedom Service Dog’s Volunteer Manager, graduated from FSD’s Operation Full Circle with Slate in June, 2019. Slate helps Ryan stay calm in stressful…

U.S. Army Patrick and Ripple

Vets Helping Heroes Event with The Home Depot Foundation

U.S. Marine Angel and Rush

Ryan and Slate on Colorado local Fox 31 News channel – 7/19/19

David Johnson

David Johnson & Guide Dog Loge

Tom and Norwin

Tom & Norwin

Tom is a U.S. Army veteran who served two tours in Iraq. He was matched with Norwin, a black Labrador retriever, through FSD’s Operation Full Circle program. Norwin assists Tom in public so that he can go more places with his children, and he also helps Tom sleep better by nudging him awake from the…

Chris and Noodle

Chris & Noodle

Chris, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who saw action in the first Gulf War, is the human half of Team Noodle. FSD’s Operation Full Circle program for veterans bonded these two into an inseparable team in which Chris provides love and care for Noodle, a boxer mix, and Noodle gives his Marine unconditional love and…

Eddie and Scrappy

Eddie & Scrappy

Eddie joined the U.S. Army in 1998 and at 25 years old, he became an elite U.S. Army Ranger who was deployed three times to Afghanistan and twice to Iraq for a total of 38 months. The retired veteran lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with his wife, a couple horses, and Scrappy, a Great Dane mix…

Shay & Tiptoe

Shay & Tiptoe

Shay served in the U.S. Navy for four years and has been diagnosed with PTSD. Through FSD’s Operation Full Circle program for veterans, she was placed with a calm, chill Labradoodle named Tiptoe who accompanies Shay in public to relieve her anxiety and panic disorder. Says Shay, “Tiptoe came into my life at the right…

Service dogs provide a source of unconditional love for Veterans – 6/28/19

In hospitals and in other facilities for long term care, as well as on active-duty military bases, service dogs provide a needed calming influence.

June 27th is National PTSD Awareness Day – 6/27/19

Knowing the signs and symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder may empower you to provide a lifeline for a Veteran in crisis.

Pupdate Video: The moment we’ve all been waiting for has arrived! – 6/27/19

Event with The Home Depot Foundation – Building Raised Service Dog Beds

The Home Depot Foundation will be bringing 600 volunteers to Boca Raton April 30 and we are in the process of scouting projects our volunteers could potentially do that impact the lives of veterans. In other parts of the country we have partnered with nonprofit organizations to identify veterans with service dogs that could benefit…

A Veteran Helping Other Heroes

By Mary Hladky Although retired Air Force Lt. Col. Mel Pollack’s military service ended decades ago, his commitment to service and veterans has endured. Pollack was on his 78th combat mission flying an F-4 Phantom when he was shot down and captured by the North Vietnamese in 1967. He was imprisoned in the infamous “Hanoi…

WWII hero gets honorary doctorate at FAU

Irwin Stovroff, a World War II hero, received an honorary doctorate from Florida Atlantic University. (submitted photo, FPG) Watch the video The well-known twinkle in his eye was working overtime before Irwin Stovroff got to do something he never did before at 92. “I’m still making news,” he said, jokingly, wearing academic garb before joining…

In Boca, three generations of veterans recount their experiences

By Anne Geggis, Sun Sentinel 11/12/14 Kathy Champion, Mel Pollack and Irwin Stovroff Across three generations from three different conflicts, the human toll paid when countries send their young men and women to fight was described in blood-drenched detail. For Veteran’s Day, a pilot from World War II, another from Vietnam and a civilian affairs officer…

Irwin Stovroff Visits Normandy 70 Years Later

Irwin became the American Veteran Air Force “Rock Star” of Normandy and I grew muscles pushing him around in his aluminum wheel chair. Irwin’s Doris and my wife, Barbara were thrilled to see the joy Irwin experienced during the entire trip. We spent 3 days in Paris showing Irwin the best sites and food followed…

L.A. Weiser’s "An Extraordinary Life . . . Gone to the Dogs"

Written by John Stemple and originally posted on 20thCenturyAviationMagazine.com Irwin Stovroff, from Buffalo, New York, arrived in England during 1944 and one of his first operational missions took place on D-Day. Mr. Stovroff, born of Russian parents from Siberia, related to writer Lisa Weiser accounts of wartime life in Scotland and England and the daily…

WLRN film tells stories of Florida Jews in the military

Sun-Sentinal, May 8, 2014 | By Johnny Diaz, Staff writer, 954-356-4939 “Jews in the Military” will be TV at 9 p.m. May 13, 18 and 29, WLRN-Ch. 17 in Fort Lauderdale-Miami and West Palm Beach TV markets In “A Call To Serve: Florida Jews and the Military,” retired… (Steve Waxman/Courtesy) A natural storyteller, Steve Waxman…

Veterans’ Service Dogs Receive Full Medical Insurance

January 30, 2014 By: Edie Lau For The VIN News Service Service dogs belonging to American military veterans are now covered by comprehensive private health insurance under a new arrangement by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). A contract between the VA and the company Trupanion provides payment for care by licensed veterinarians of…

Cesar’s Top 9 Holiday Tips for Dogs

Originally posted on CesarsWay.com 1. Tire your dog out before visiting or receiving holiday guests. Keep in mind that holiday visits are not typical visits. They may involve more heightened energy than normal, since often we haven’t seen these people in a while, and dog people have a tendency to get excited around others’ pets.…

On this Veterans Day

Most Americans have never fought in a war, never smelled fear and ammunition in combat, never worried about being blown up by a roadside bomb. This Veterans Day, we as Americans need to remember those who fought for our country while we stayed safe, out of the crossfire. Please not to let this Veterans Day…

An Ally in Healing

Some families have spent years living with the nightmares, depression and anger of a veteran’s PTSD, while desperately trying to find ways to cope. Others are just getting started. “When one person joins, the whole family serves” is a common saying among military personnel. Over two million children in the United States have had a…

Friday, September 20, 2013 is National POW/MIA Recognition Day

We couldn’t let it go by without honoring two very special people, Irwin Stovroff, WWII, Ex-Pow, Founder and President of Vets Helping Heroes, and LT COL Melvin Pollack, US Air Force (ret.), Ex-POW and member of the Board of Directors. It is truly an honor to have you lead the VHH organization and thank you…

September is Suicide Prevention Month

The calls come in from all over the country at all hours of the day. They come from active-duty vets in the field, and from vets trying to transition back into civilian life, Tell me how to get unstuck before I pull the trigger. September is National Suicide Prevention Month. It is a reminder that…

"A Gift of Life" – A Documentary

“The Gift of Life”, is the story of B-24 Bombardier, Lt. Irwin Stovroff, who survived being shot down and captured over Nazi occupied France, and his subsequent 13 months in a POW camp where he was isolated to be shot for being Jewish. Thankfully before that could happen, the camp was liberated by Russian Cossacks.…

The Gold Coast Corvette Club – Car Show for a Cause

The 1st annual Gold Coast Corvette Club car show took place on Sept, 4th 2011 at the beautiful PGA National Resort and Spa. There were over 160 cars on display comprised of Corvettes, Rods and Customs. I think it’s safe to say that everyone VERY much enjoyed the 50's and 60's classic music that was…

Vets Helping Heroes Visits Southeastern Guide Dogs

One of the programs Vets Helping Heroes supports is the “Paws for Patriots” program at Southeastern Guide Dogs located in Palmetto, Florida. Southeastern’s mission is to create and nurture a partnership between a visually impaired individual and a guide dog, facilitating life’s journey with mobility, independence and dignity. In 2003 one of their Board members,…

Reuben H. Fleet, the B-24 Bomber and a Generous Donation to Vets Helping Heroes

Last month, the Reuben H. Fleet Foundation donated $50,000 to Vets Helping Heroes. This money will go directly towards providing an injured veteran with a service dog for life. This generous grant award was allocated by fund management company, The San Diego Foundation, whose mission is to build and allocate charitable funds for the benefit…

Traversing The Great Divide to provide Service Dogs to Injured Veterans: One Man’s Journey

This Summer, school teacher Alexander Funnell took a rest from marking papers to undertake an arduous bike ride along the Great Divide Mountain Route to bring attention to and help raise money for non-profit Vets Helping Heroes. Vets Helping Heroes helps provide wounded war veterans with the service dogs affording the best opportunity to return…

The Brothers In Arms Motorcycle Club "Putts for Mutts" Benefits Vets Helping Heroes

On May 22, 2010, the Yorktown, VA chapter of the Brothers In Arms Motorcycle Club raised $1,150 for Vets Helping Heroes.

Service Dogs and PTSD

Long considered a non-traditional treatment for PTSD, service dogs are finding their place among the more commonly accepted treatments.

A Dog’s Life: Vets Helping Heroes "Spokesdog" Cash

Now that you know about the Vets Helping Heroes Founder and President Irwin Stovroff, it’s time to meet the real star of the show – Cash, the cute Golden Retriever, trained companion dog and VHH co-fundraiser! We just had to find out more about this golden boy who has made more than one TV appearance…

A Personal Look: Vets Helping Heroes Founder Irwin Stovroff

The Vets Helping Heroes Founder and President Irwin Stovroff is passionate about providing disabled vets with service dogs – he was a Veteran himself, you know! Let’s take a closer look at the Vets Helping Heroes Founder and President Irwin Stovroff, a World War II Veteran with an incredible story to tell. Where did the…