Article: A Sheep Dog’s View – Hurricane Ian
Story appears in November 2022 issue of "Better Off Wet" magazine; written by Benjamin J. Chewning
A Sheep Dog's View begins on page 48.
https://issuu.com/74556/docs/bow_november_2022/s/17252520
A great story about our ongoing Disaster Response efforts in southwest Florida following Hurricane Ian.
Many thanks to our Central Florida Team, lead by the indefatigable Raffy Morales! ...
Run with SDIA Before You Gobble Til You Wobble this Thanksgiving Day!
All of us at Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) are so excited for our 15th annual Turkey Trot for Heroes 5K, Wild Gobbler 5K, Virtual 5K and 1-mile Fun Run/Walk on Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, November 24, 2022, at 9:00am - and we invite YOU to be part of it!What is the Turkey Trot for Heroes? It is an opportunity to get your run/walk in for the day - before you "gobble til you wobble" - all while supporting SDIA's Get Off The Couch™ programming and the military, law enforcement, fire & rescue, and EMS heroes we serve.
There is an option for everyone from the adventure runner, regular runner, walker and those who do not run! Register before November 1 to receive Early Bird pricing.
Turkey Trot for Heroes 5K is our standard 5K (3.2 mile) run option following a route around the downtown Rogers area. All 5K runners will receive a t-shirt...
SDIA’s Warrior PATHH Training Program is Now Available!
Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) will host the first Warrior PATHH training class in Northwest Arkansas next month, and we are so excited to help our nation's heroes transform times of deep struggle into profound strength and lifelong growth. The March class is full, but we have classes available throughout the year for you to participate in. Here is our class availability: March 13-19, 2021 – FULL
April 14-20, 2021 - 7 spots available May 14-20, 2021 (Female only) - 3 spots available June 23-29, 2021 - 6 spots available September 18-24, 2021 - 6 spots available October 16-22, 2021 - 8 spots available November 15-21, 2021 (Female only) - 8 spots available December 4-10, 2021 - 8 spots available
We want you (and Sheep Dogs you know) to take this first brave step in making peace with your past, living in the present, and planning for a great future.
Interested? Start the process by completing the Interest...
Our Mission Continues with Outdoor Adventures
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Office and Northwest Arkansas Chapter have dug deep to find ways to adapt, improvise and overcome many of the challenges presented by the guidance/mandates in place. While we have postponed our large-scale adventures to 2021, #OurMissionContinues! Our reformatted Outdoor Adventures now include groups of 10 or fewer whenever possible, and we press on to keep our Sheep Dogs off that couch. Since June, we have taken more than 60 Sheep Dogs in need on 2-day adventures to experience the thrill of off-roading with razors at Rush Springs Ranch, skydiving at Skydive Fayetteville, rockcrawling with Rockcrawlers 4x4 Club NWA at Byrd's Outdoor Center, water activities on Beaver Lake, and with the recent cooler weather, indoor axe throwing, climbing and more. While it sounds like we're “just having fun,” the camaraderie, peer support and sense of belonging participants feel during these adventures is critical to the overall well-being of each Sheep Dog attending.
Come Celebrate with Us on October 9!
Join us for SDIA's Outdoor Celebration October 9, 2021 Village on the Creeks - Rogers, AR Doors Open 4:30pm Program Begins 6:30pm VIP Reception 9:00-10:00pm
Join us for a night of celebrating 11 years of Sheep Dog Impact Assistance and our nation's heroes! Over the past 11 years, Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) has grown into a national 501c3 nonprofit. With your help, SDIA has been able to engage, assist and empower thousands of Sheep Dogs in need by helping them #GetOffTheCouch. This is accomplished through our three programs:
Outdoor Adventures to engage them with camaraderie and healing; Warrior PATHH training to assist them in learning to transform their struggle into strength; and Continued Service where Sheep Dogs are empowered to discover the power of "Helping is Healing" as they serve others through Disaster Response Missionst and community service.
The Celebration will be held in the courtyard area between the shops, and will also have Sheep Dog vehicles and family-friendly activities in the parking lot. We'll have...
SDIA Hosting 10th Anniversary 10K Ruck March June 27 in Honor of Fallen Heroes
Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) is ready for their 10th Anniversary 10K Ruck March at a new location – Lawrence Plaza in Bentonville – on Saturday, June 27, 2020, from 8:00am to 6:00pm. Funds raised from the event will allow SDIA to continue its mission to help Sheep Dogs (Veterans and First Responders) Get Off The Couch™ and continue serving through their Disaster Response Mission, Outdoor Adventure and other programs.
Along the route, SDIA will be honoring five fallen heroes, including Fayetteville’s own Officer Stephen P. Carr, 27, who was killed in the line of duty on December 7, 2019. He was hired by the Fayetteville Police Department in April 2017, and was a patrol officer assigned to the Dickson Street Entertainment District. Officer Carr was known as a "gentle giant." He was calm, fair, and truly cared about the individuals he served in the entertainment district. The other honorees are:
Sergeant 1st Class Javier Jaguar Gutierrez, 28, died...
Veteran Forges New Life with Vet Programs & SDIA
Ralston “Rolly” Porro served with distinction during three tours with three separate branches of the military: Marines, Navy, and Army. During his third tour as an Army Paratrooper, he suffered significant injuries when he was thrown from the gun turret of his transport by an improvised explosive device (IED). He suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), was rendered unconscious, and was medevaced out of the Arghandab Valley to Kandahar, Afghanistan. He awoke the next day in the hospital, struggling with the trauma of his injuries, the lingering effects of a serious concussion, and a small scar on his forehead as a reminder. Rolly’s struggles with his TBI continued after returning home to Chicago, and he sought help with the US Department of Veterans Affairs and his local Vet Center. There he found traditional treatment, along with yoga and meditation, and learned about Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) and its mission. Rolly also began a...
SDIA is Celebrating 10 Years of Helping Sheep Dogs #GetOffTheCouch in 2020
SDIA IS TURNING 10! It's hard to believe, but on July 13, 2020, SDIA will be 10 years old. That's:
10 years of helping our nation's heroes #GetOffTheCouch; 10 years of Disaster Response Missions and Outdoor Adventures; 10 years of lives changed by bringing Sheep Dogs together; and 10 years of working with amazing volunteers, supporters and sponsors to make it happen.
Here's a quick look at where we started, and how we got to where we are today.
OUR HISTORY When Hurricane Katrina wiped out entire communities in 2005, people the world over were shocked by the devastation, and the fact that people sat for days without help…hungry, thirsty, injured, suffering and even dying. As most watched the horror unfold helplessly from their living rooms, the idea of Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) began to take shape when then USMC Gunnery Sergeant Lance Nutt used years of emergency and logistical training to lead a strategic relief effort to Pass Christian, Mississippi. It...
Happy New Year 2020!
Happy New Year! 2019 was an incredible year, and we've got big plans to make 2020 - our 10th Anniversary - our biggest and best yet! We can't wait to share it all with you, because YOU made it all possible. It's hard to believe, but on July 13, 2020, SDIA will be 10 years old. That's:
10 years of helping Sheep Dogs #GetOffTheCouch; 10 years of Disaster Response Missions and Outdoor Adventures; 10 years of lives changed by bringing Sheep Dogs together; and 10 years of working with amazing donors, supporters and sponsors to make it happen.
We have many things planned to make 2020 our most exciting year yet. We'll soon be launching limited edition merchandise, and have a special event in the works - as well as incredible guests like American hero Noah Galloway and US Army veteran and country singer/musician Matt Williams lined up for our Heroes Gala on April 18. For now, we simply want to wish...
2019 Turkey Trot for Heroes Coverage
https://youtu.be/ePr8rk0IP4w
https://www.nwahomepage.com/myfox24/turkey-trot-for-heroes-2/amp/ https://www.nwahomepage.com/lifestyle/good-day-nwa/good-day-nwa-turkey-trot-for-heroes/
https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/knwa/turkey-trot-for-heroes/...