Veterans Day…support those who sacrifice for us

A friend gave me the best present one year on Veterans Day.
It’s a plaque with the flag across it that reads…
“Land of the Free, because of the Brave!”

November 11, Veterans Day, is about the people – our people, our families, our friends and all of the strangers who’ve worn a uniform and made tremendous personal sacrifices, so that we don’t have to.

Last week, we were invited to a special graduation ceremony at Canine Companions For Independence (CCI) where they honored veterans who were wounded while serving in the military. Through CCI’s Veterans Initiative, they provide assistance dogs to hundreds of service men and women with disabilities who really need help now, just living a more normal life.

Jay, the man I sat beside this year at the graduation ceremony, is ex-Special Forces and he made one of those sacrifices. And every year, I meet more and more veterans with special needs, who’ve given us all so much more than just their ‘service’.

I got involved with CCI a few years ago at the NADA Convention, when ADESA Auction donated a Harley, which they auctioned off, with all of the proceeds going to CCI’s Veterans Initiative. That year, Doug Hadden asked me if I was going to bid on the bike. After he explained what CCI was all about, I’ve been involved, and am getting more involved with them every year. Since 2013, we’ve helped generate more than a quarter million dollars for their veterans program.

If you would like to make a donation to CCI, please go to: www.cci.org/giveadogajob – you’ll be glad you did.

And please thank our veterans for the sacrifices they’ve made for all of us.