2-22-22 Donate Today to Fight Veteran & First Responder Suicide
Can our nation’s heroes, our “Sheep Dogs” – Veterans, Law Enforcement, Fire & Rescue, and Emergency Medical Service professionals – count on YOU?
Today, on 2-22-22, we can’t help but reflect on the significance of the number 22.
22 is widely recognized as the average number of Veterans that die by suicide each day in the United States. Add to that First Responder suicides (twice as many as those that die in the line of duty) and our nation has an epidemic that Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) is working to eliminate. And we need your continued support to make this a reality.$0.88¢ of each dollar donated directly funds SDIA’s Outdoor Adventures, Warrior PATHH training, and Continued Service/Disaster Response programs. That means your donation will directly provide a struggling Sheep Dog with opportunities to Get Off The Couch™, reengage in living their best life, and reduce suicidal ideation & attempts.In 2021 alone, SDIA directly impacted the lives of nearly 1,000...
Helping Others is Truly a Way of Life for SDIA!
Happy New Year, Sheep Dog Nation!Over the past few months, Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) has been extremely busy with outdoor adventures, Warrior PATHH courses, staffing changes, disaster response missions, our Celebration & Turkey Trot for Heroes 5K, the holidays, and so much more. We are most excited about breaking ground on our dedicated Warrior PATHH Training Facility at Heroes Ranch at Rush Springs!We have much to share...read on for the latest, and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
As you are probably aware, last year SDIA purchased 50 acres of property just over the Arkansas border in Pineville, Missouri. This property - named Heroes Ranch at Rush Springs - was immediately put to use for our Outdoor Adventures as well as the Warrior PATHH training program.Heroes Ranch at Rush Springs has two existing Lodges (LCpl Anthony Darbonne Lodge & Senior Chief Joseph Paul Engleman Lodge) and Heroes Ranch Stables. The Darbonne Lodge is mainly used by Outdoor...
JOIN US for our Heroes Ranch Open House!
The holiday season is here and we would love for you to join us on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, from 4:30-7:00PM for our Heroes Ranch at Rush Springs Open House, Chili Cook Off and NWA Chapter Meeting. It's been way too long since we've gotten together, and we hope you can squeeze us in your busy schedule to see Heroes Ranch and learn how we are continuing to improve the lives of our nation's Sheep Dogs with this beautiful property.
Everyone is encouraged to attend, and if you've got a great chili recipe to enter into the Chili Cook Off - bring it! We'll provide the fixings (shredded cheese, sour cream, bread, etc.) and beverages (soda, tea, water).
WHO: ALL Members, Volunteers, Supporters, and anyone interested in SDIAWHEN: Tuesday, December 14, 4:30-7:00PMWHERE: Heroes Ranch at Rush Springs, 335 Eternity Lane, Pineville MOWHY: For camaraderie & socializing as you see Heroes Ranch!
RSVP by December 12 so we can plan appropriately for fixings and...
14th Annual Turkey Trot for Heroes is ONE WEEK AWAY!
Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) is thrilled that their 14th Annual Turkey Trot for Heroes 5K is an in-person event this year, with options including a traditional 5K, Wild Gobbler 5K, 1-mile Fun Run/Walk and Virtual 5K. Sponsored by Comstar Enterprises, participants will start and end their Thanksgiving morning event at the Center for Nonprofits at St. Mary’s in Rogers beginning at 9:00AM. Registration is open now at https://cutt.ly/sdiaturkeytrot.
The Wild Gobbler 5K is a step up from the traditional 5K with the addition of five exercise stations along the route; exercises can be modified for any fitness level. Each station is dedicated to a fallen Sheep Dog, and the repetitions correspond to a hero. This year’s Fallen Heroes are as follows.
The Turkey Trot for Heroes 5K & Virtual 5K are just $40 per person and the Wild Gobbler 5K is $48. These runners will receive our exclusive Turkey Trot for Heroes t-shirt with their registration,...
4 Purple Heart Recipients Need Your Support to Climb Kilimanjaro
KILI CLIMB FOR A CAUSE
Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) is honored to be part of Sam's Furniture's Kilimanjaro Climb for a Cause happening in August.
The "Kili Climb for a Cause" climbing team, sponsored by Sam’s Furniture in Springdale, Arkansas, includes owners, Joe & Larra Donaldson, a video production team, and ten Veterans - four of which are Purple Heart recipients (single- and double-limb amputees).
This adventure was featured on the March 1, 2020, Fox & Friends show and was originally scheduled for July 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was rescheduled for August 2021.
WHY ARE WE CLIMBING?
The Kilimanjaro Climb for a Cause was created to inspire all individuals to face challenges head-on and work to overcome them. Summiting Kilimanjaro is a huge undertaking and accomplishment for a person without physical injuries to deal with. For those like our Purple Heart recipients who...
SDIA a Member of the Gary Sinise Foundation Avalon Network to Help Veterans, First Responders Heal
Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) is honored to announce that they are a proud member of the Gary Sinise Foundation Avalon Network, a new cognitive health and mental wellness network providing transformative care to veterans and first responders experiencing post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries, and substance abuse launched by the Gary Sinise Foundation on February 16. The Gary Sinise Foundation Avalon Network builds on the work of the Marcus Institute for Brain Health and the Boulder Crest Foundation’s Warrior PATHH program. They will establish 20 treatment sites nationwide, including one in Northwest Arkansas where SDIA will deliver the Warrior PATHH program.
“We are incredibly honored to be a member of the Gary Sinise Foundation Avalon Network,” said SDIA founder and CEO, SgtMaj Lance Nutt, USMC (Ret.). “Our mission has always been to engage, assist and empower our nation’s Sheep Dogs (veterans and first responders) to Get Off The Couch™ and live their best lives. Partnering...
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...
SDIA Partners with BCF to Launch Warrior PATHH Training in NWA
Sheep Dog Impact Assistance is honored to partner with Boulder Crest Foundation to deliver their life-changing Warrior PATHH Training for Combat Veterans and First Responders to Northwest Arkansas beginning in March 2021.
Warrior PATHH (Progressive and Alternative Training for Healing Heroes) is the nation's first non-clinical program designed to cultivate and facilitate Posttraumatic Growth (PTG). The program focuses on Combat Veterans and First Responders struggling with PTSD, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and other challenges associated with trauma, and teaches them how to transform times of deep struggle into profound strength and lifelong growth.
In 2021, SDIA will hold this training at Camp War Eagle while a dedicated facility is developed. How It Works This transformative 18-month program begins with seven days of intensive and immersive PTG training that taps into each students' strengths, skills and abilities. Throughout the program, they learn proven techniques to regulate thoughts, feelings, and actions, connect head and heart, and...
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.
Hurricane Laura Disaster Response Missions 1.0 & 2.0
SDIA's Hurricane Laura 1.0 Disaster Response Team (DRT) worked hard last week assisting people in the DeRidder, Louisiana, area. The Team of 53 volunteers from Arkansas (Central and NWA), Florida, Kansas, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas:
assisted 1,608 people (including 168 Veteran and First Responder families); cleared 66 properties of 265 downed trees; mucked-out and performed mold remediation in 6 homes; covered 111 structures with tarps; and distributed 8,046 lbs of food, water and supplies.
Despite the work done, there is much more to do. SDIA will be deploying a second DRT to Louisiana Sept. 14-18, 2020. The DRT will conduct chainsaw operations, tree & debris removal, tarping structures, mucking-out homes, distributing food/water, and other recovery tasks. If you are available to deploy and are not high-risk for COVID-19, please CLICK HERE TO REGISTER. After registering, you will be added to the list of DR volunteers and will receive deployment...