Weigel’s fourth annual “More Wags for Warriors” fundraising campaign wraps up on Memorial Day.
Weigel’s operates 67 convenience stores, a dairy and a bakery, all within a 100-mile radius of corporate headquarters in Powell, Tennessee. “More Wags for Warriors” is a capital campaign that benefits a Tennessee nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance the physical and psychological quality of life for veterans with service-related disabilities through the training and placement of highly-trained service dogs.
All funds raised during the fourth annual three-week fundraising event will go to Smoky Mountain Service Dogs, which is located on a 10-acre site in Lenoir City, Tennessee.
More Wags for Warriors provides, at no charge to veterans in need, specially-trained service dogs to aid in assistance and companionship. Dogs are trained for many veteran-related disabilities such as providing navigation and assisting in mobility. The cost to raise and train just one service dog is approximately $22,000 before they can be matched to with a veteran.
“It is our goal to raise the funds to train one service dog, and be able to have more service dogs available for our local veterans through this program based in Lenoir City,” said Bill Weigel, chairman of Weigel’s. “We are honored to be able to aid the men and women who have served our country with a fundraising event whose mission is to bring them a better quality of life. It’s a small step for us in a much larger picture to help those that have so unselfishly sacrificed for all of us.”
Smoky Mountain Service Dogs was established in October of 2010 and placed its first service dog in 2013. They have served more than 25 veterans and their families. Weigel’s customers can participate by donating at any of Weigel’s 67 locations. The funds will be used to help double the number of veterans served each year.
