Joe Verde Supports CCI at Virtual Auction
Joe Verde Sales and Management Training, Inc., today announced that company president, Joe Verde, himself a veteran, donated $10,000 to kick off the virtual auction that raised $40,000 for Canine Companions for Independence, (CCI) a national nonprofit organization which provides highly trained assistance dogs to people with disabilities, including veterans.
At
the 2021 National Automobile Dealers Association virtual convention, ADESA auctioned a 2021 Kawasaki TERYX4 4-passenger ATV to raise funds to train service dogs for CCI. The
winning bid of $25,000 was donated by Jeff Carlson, owner of Glenwood Springs
Ford Subaru. Annette Sykora, partner at Smith South Plains Levelland and chair
of the NADA Foundation, donated an additional $5,000.
Verde has
been active in the ADESA Charity Auction since 2013 and since then has donated
$279,400 to CCI and their Veterans Initiative through NADA and other events.
“Our veterans have done so much for us and we don’t do nearly enough in return,” said Verde. “A dog is such a great source of emotional support – when you have one you almost can’t have a bad day. It’s not unusual for veterans to suffer from stress and one of the many things a trained dog does is help them to relax. I have nothing but respect for CCI and the great work it does in training and providing canine companions. I’ll never stop my support because it’s too important. Please do all you can to support this worthy cause.”
To find out more about CCI and its program to support veterans, go to www.cci.org and check out the “Veterans Initiative”.
Verde’s father was a veteran, and his son and two grandsons are all veterans, making four generations serving in the armed forces. Verde served in the U.S. Army for more than seven years and was stationed in Vietnam in 1967, 1968 and 1969, during the Vietnam War, as a CH-47 Flight Engineer. As a Purple Heart recipient himself, Verde has a strong connection with other veterans and has become active in ways to help them make a smoother transition into their lives back at home.
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