- VALOR Clinic Foundation, which helps veterans throughout Monroe County, the Lehigh Valley and beyond, gave away companion puppies to three veterans on Wednesday
- The program helps veterans deal with returning to life in the civilian world and cope by caring for their dogs
- Founder Sergeant Mark Baylis is encouraging anyone who can help to purchase tickets to their upcoming Patriots Ball, which helps support similar programming
LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa. — Three veterans were honored to receive some extra special support puppies from the VALOR Clinic Foundation in Monroe County’s West End this Wednesday.
VALOR, a nonprofit organization that aims to improve access to quality health care and shelter for veterans, hosted the get-together on Oct. 4, where four boisterous baby black labs were presented to a trio of Army veterans.
Veterans Jennifer Hieber, Christian Hieber and Donald Harrell were all smiles as they watched the little pups gallop around the backyard of the VALOR building, happily gallivanting and getting all the attention they could possibly want.
And while that scenario might seem like a brief respite from the myriad issues that affect veterans, VALOR Clinic Foundation Founder Sergeant Mark Baylis said the program is a remarkable success – after all, they’ve doled out nearly 50 puppies to veterans over the past few years.
“It's a really good program, and it does a lot of good for the vets to have things to think about besides themselves, in particular when it's the unconditional love of a dog.”VALOR Clinic Foundation Founder Sergeant Mark Baylis
“It's a really good program, and it does a lot of good for the vets to have things to think about besides themselves, in particular when it's the unconditional love of a dog,” Baylis said.
Efforts like companion dogs, and the various other initiatives VALOR has employed over the years, have helped the group help veterans in need for over 11 years, with not a single suicide occurring amongst the former servicemen and women they treat – a rare feat considering the National Institutes of Health estimate 41% of all veterans potentially require mental health assistance.
The four furry friends/siblings came from a breeder located in North Carolina – Baylis said the organization is “really fussy” about where they get their dogs – which donated them to VALOR free of charge.
“In this case, they were donated by the breeder,” Baylis said. “We usually pay, so we're grateful. Now they had a little surprise hiccup and ended up with a lot of puppies they weren't prepared for, and they gave us some to give to the vets. So we're grateful.”
According to Baylis, caring for an animal companion can go a long way toward helping a veteran get out of their own head – “when you’re wrestling with the emotional scars of war, sometimes a distraction can be very helpful” – and while relations with fellow humans may be difficult, pairing with a puppy can produce incredible results.
“It's a powerful tool to help veterans through the world of peace readjustment. And there's a lot of programs out there where they train for specific supportive tasks. We have some partners who will probably do referrals for all of these dogs to people [who] do the formal service dog training. But even at the companion dog level, that can be really helpful,” Baylis said.
Jennifer and Christian Hieber found out about VALOR’s puppy pairing program when they saw the last batch distributed in the previous month. After submitting applications, they were welcomed to come on by and meet their new friends.
“I think it's very important. When you're in the service, there's tons of support for active military and camaraderie and teams. And when you get out, you're sort of on your own and you're forgotten a little bit. This is something that's nice because you can see that businesses appreciate veterans and they're giving us opportunities to welcome somebody into the family,” Jennifer Hieber said.
Christian Hieber said the timing for the matchup was perfect, as they had just lost a dog in February, and were on the lookout for a new friend who can offer support and love.
“They're just there for you all the time, you know? You come home and they're there. They don't ask for anything other than what they need – their food and water – and in return they'll just bring joy to you. And it's nice to have something that's always there for you,” Christian Hieber said.
Harrell, who found VALOR on Facebook and looked into the organization, was pleasantly surprised to discover he already had a connection to the group.
“I realized that Mark and I served together in the same unit in the Second Ranger Battalion, and I did not know that we basically live right down the street from each other,” Harrell said.
“So I lost two of my dogs, two Golden Retrievers about a year and a half ago. And he had put a post up [to see] if any veterans needed to or would like to adopt a dog. I have a lot of time on my hands since I'm retired, and I figured it's time that I fill that void again. So I was fortunate to fill out an application, and Mark contacted me and I'm here today because of it.”
Harrell noted operations like VALOR are invaluable to veterans, who often struggle to find help once they leave the service. Getting assistance from a fellow veteran is a rarity, Harrell said.
“So the odds are you, without organizations like this, you're not going to be able to find that same tight-knit group of people that you grew up with. Sometimes people get lost,” Harrell said, adding “An organization like this… helps to bring you back on the right path.”
Veterans are not uniform in how their post-service lives pan out, Harrell said, adding “What one veteran may need may be something different than another veteran needs, but here, they cover a lot of bases.”
“They provide the support groups where you can get together and speak with one another. They also provide temporary housing for people who are homeless or in a bad situation where they can't go back to their homes. And it's important to have that resource,” Harrell said.
“Once you’ve served in the military, there's a certain bond that you develop. And if you're in a bad place in your life, and you need a place to go, you want to surround yourself with people who have had similar life experiences. It makes you feel more comfortable and it helps to clear your head possibly, and gives you a place to lay your head on a pillow for a little while.”
But in order to support such initiatives, VALOR requires funding. As a community-supported entity, they rely upon donations and fundraising efforts for everything from basic care to service animals.
VALOR’s proponents are hoping the adorable puppy presentation may draw attention to their upcoming Annual Patriots Ball, which is set for Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2023. Proceeds from the event will help fund VALOR through spring 2024, but only if they move enough tickets.
“We rely on the community for support to keep the doors open and the lights on, and being able to provide things like these puppies,” Baylis said. “So if anybody would like to come out and spend a night with us, we're trying to fill in 44 tables at eight seats each. If they'd like to put together a group of some of their friends and come out, love to dance and listen to music and help the veterans together by having a good time,” Baylis said.
The Patriots Ball will run from 6 to 11 p.m. on Nov. 11, 2023, at the Stroudsmoor Country Inn in Stroudsburg.
Tickets for the Patriots Ball can be purchased online individually for $125 each, or by buying out a table of eight seats for $950.VALOR is also accepting event sponsorships, gift cards, gift certificates, monetary donations and baskets which can be used during the evening’s silent auction.
