A non-profit group in Chattanooga Valley that aids veterans with brain injuries finished second in a contest for a Land Rover Defender 130.
Adam Keith, of High Point, Ga., who founded Warrior Freedom Service Dogs after waiting on an injured veteran at his Ace Hardware, was at Chattanooga Land Rover at a watch party on Saturday night.He and other staff members watched a livestream as the selection was announced. A Florida non-profit won.
However, the local group will get $10,000 and use of a Land Rover for six months.
There were initially 800 non-profits in the running..
Mr. Keith said he has been working with dogs all his life, and he found out how much a trained dog can improve the life of an injured veteran. "For one thing, it helps them sleep much better, and that's big," he said.
It takes a year and a half to complete the dog training. So far, 23 trained dogs have gone from the High Point kennel to the home of a grateful veteran.