By uniting military veterans and rehabilitated shelter dogs, we are Rescuing One to Rescue Another.

I have been asked if Ben was my husband, brother, boyfriend, or my son. I guess it is because of the awesome *Photoshop* I did of the picture of him and I on our webpage!  Ben “Doc Stiggy” Castiglione was my nephew, my husbands nephew actually. But he was so much more than that to me ….

I met Ben he was 14years old. Being new to a big family and trying to *fit in*, Ben made it easy for me.  He spent a lot of time at our house visiting, many nights and weekends full of laughter, movies, games and fun. Ben and my son Spencer shared the same Birthdate,  they were very similar, and more like brothers than cousins.  Ben broke his hand the same week Spencer did, both in casts together.  Ben becoming a Corpsman, Spencer a Paramedic. Caring young men always helping others …..

If I had to sum up the character of Ben it would be Caring, loving and funny. Ben loved people, he was wonderful with kids and small children spending many family get togethers playing and teasing them. Bens sense of humor is something that grew as he did. Being funny and making people laugh came naturally to him. His natural charisma attracted people. Ben cared about animals, always helping one if it was hurt. If there was a dog around, you could find Ben by it, rubbing it’s ears. It was a family joke about how much Ben loved dog ears!!

In 2008-2009 my husband and I moved to Atalanta Georgia for his job. The move was very tough for me, and Ben understood that. There were times when he was deployed  that he would call just me, not Joe and ask for me, but just me. Here he was, in  war zone and he would call and ask how I was, how I was?????? Are you kidding me?  Because we lived closer to where he was stationed (Camp Lejeune) Ben made several trips on his weekends off to stay with us. This is when we became even closer. I am forever grateful for that time we had. The many talks about everything, Military, his men and how he asked to be deployed to Afghanistan to take care of them. I will never forget that conversation. “I don’t care if I die Aunt Jen, I just need  all my Marines to make it home alive.” …  chills run through me even know as I look back on that.

I believed, at that time, that I was Ben’s favorite Aunt. In fact, it wasn’t until after is death that I realized everyone was Ben’s favorite.The young man had a unique way of making everyone feel so special that we all thought we were his favorite. I cant tell you how many times we hear that “Ben was my best friend”! This man had more best friends than anyone I know!!

Ben, to me you are a inspiration. I try to live in honor of who your were daily. The loss of your life will always be a grief I struggle with. I love you and miss you daily. I know you are probably a little upset that I made this big hoopla over you, but I am finishing what you started…..taking care of your Men (and woman).

Please take the time to honor this man, who lost his life at 21. Never had a Drivers Licenses, never married. Gone to soon. Never forgotten. Ben ‘Doc Stiggy’ Castiglione.

Introducing Chief: aka Radar, Rusty, Swamp Thing, Sexy Mother, Golden Boy and Knuckle head All nicknames wrapped in one dog! Originally Donna and I went to Capitol Area Humane Society to look at another dog we saw on Petfinder. On a drive back from Holland Michigan, we made a *quick* stop to see if there was a potential dog. Donna stopped at the cage of the dog we were there to see, as I went three cages down. There was a dog that reminded me instantly of Stiggy. I did not even look at the other dog, we walked out of there with our next recruit!

Meet Navy Chief Jeff Morrison. Who has been patiently waiting for  two years for his dog. Once we knew that this dog was going to pass, I made the phone call. I had Jeff go online as I waited to hear his reaction seeing his new dog …. I held my breath as he opened his Facebook page …. “Ha, he looks like a Knuckle Head” Jeff chuckled. Well, that was not the response I was waiting to hear. This *Knuckle head* was our golden boy!!!

Jeff drove from Virgina the next week to start training. Jeff’s little Knuckle Head met him with heart bubbles over his head, kissing his face, pawing him constantly. Jeff’s smile as big as his dogs. The connection was instant and the training began. Both seemed to have wanted this for a long time, working together learning each other came naturally. Although each morning when we saw Jeff, he had a new *mark* on his face or head. His *swamp thing* (big webbed Catahoula feet) would paw at him and scratch his face, eye and  head. After three days it looked like we had beat him up!!

One afternoon after training, Jeff and Chief were in the next room. Donna heard his phone ring, Jeff answer and mumbled a couple of words. The you could heard him say “Chief .” Then the patter of feet circling around the floor. Donna went in the room to see what was happening.  Jeff still on the phone, Chief pawing at him desperately, circling him. Jeff turned around, with tears running down his cheeks. His aunt had died.  I felt the mixed emotions of sadness for Jeff’s loss mixed with pride for the dog that *felt* his energy, knew something was wrong and trying to help! They were bonded already, this was very good. For Jeff wanted to leave earlier than anticipated to be home for the funeral. After witnessing what we did, we knew Jeff and Chief were well on their way already!

Passing their test and cramming in much over the next two days. We are so proud of both Jeff and his Chief!!! We look forward to following your journey ….

You’ve heard our names.  You’ve seen our faces.  But do you know why we are part of Stiggy’s Dogs?  Find out on My Story Monday. 

Back in the winter of 2011, I was trying to find a new home for this sweet, smart, gorgeous older pup named Brutus.  He ended up coming to live with me for a time, during which I took him to obedience classes and got to know just how special and smart he was.  During this same time frame, my sister and I had made a connection with the Better Life Canine Center.  They had taken in Brutus’ mother and found her a great home along with a number of other dogs from our area.  In June 2011, I felt Brutus was ready to find a new home, BLCC posted him on Petfinder for me and I also attended a couple adoption events with him, as well.   About the same time, Jennifer Petre had been starting to look for a dog to potentially pair with a veteran currently in the Stiggy’s Dogs program. Since they had worked with BLCC in the past, she was keeping an eye on their adoptable dogs and Brutus sure caught it!  Long story short, Jennifer Petre, Donna Fournier and Jason Keller came up to Frankenmuth in early July 2011 to meet Brutus and the rest is history.   Once Brutus became the service dog for veteran Jason Keller, I continued to follow and support Stiggy’s Dogs in any way I could.

I have two personal dogs of my own, Connor and Kobe, and my option to foster a dog for Stiggy’s is usually contained to the summer months.  But it has been my experience learning about dogs and training my own two dogs that has made me feel comfortable in taking in a dog to foster for Stiggy’s, since I also work on making sure they are highly socialized and well mannered before sending them on to Stiggy’s for further training.  My next foster for Stiggy’s  was a bit of a fluke.  Stiggy’s didn’t have a veteran to pair with him at the time he came to me, but I knew once I met Corspman that he would be the perfect dog for Stiggy’s.  He just needed to grow up a bit since he wasn’t quite a year when he came to me, so I offered to foster and train him until he was old enough to enter the program.  I am now currently fostering Rotor who I am sure will be moving on to be paired soon!

We call the time when we’re pairing our veterans and dogs “training”.  It’s so much more than that, though. It’s bonding, learning and loving all in one.  Yes, there’s training but it’s a 24/7 process.  It’s definitely a labor of love.

The organization itself goes through its own training periods.  We are not yet big enough to run 365 days a year on the same high paced schedule.  There is down time, recovery time and last year there was a few months off that we called our “Annual Training Time.”  It worked so well, we repeated it to some degree in 2013.

During our ATT in 2012, we revamped programs, straightened out our administrative paperwork and made important connections for the organization to grow.  The Home Depot grants and the contest we’re in right now is the product of taking the time to do things the right way during ATT.  So while we didn’t have dogs and veterans in training, we had the best interests of dogs and veterans in our hearts and our actions.

This is the kind of thing we have to do as a small organization.  We have to constantly look back, learn and move forward.  Recently, we’ve been hearing that a lot of people are frustrated with the voting process for the Home Depot Foundation’s Aprons in Action finale contest.  We hear you and have been delivering your concerns and problems to the Foundation each step of the way.  But please know, even if we don’t end up coming in first place, this contest and your support means so much to us.  Because of this time “in training” for us, we will grow and 2014 will be something beyond our wildest dreams.

We know it’s not always easy to vote.  That’s why we have daily reminders via email and Facebook.

We know there are voting issues.  That’s why we ask that you email us with them so we can take them to the foundation.

And we definitely know it’s daunting to look at the vote totals of other organizations and not be discouraged.  We fight that battle every day.  But please keep voting.  If each of our Facebook followers voted every day for the rest of the month, we would win the entire competition.  Do you know how huge that is?

We are the underdogs for sure.  Always have been.  Probably always will be.  But there’s something to be said about being the underdog…the win is that much better and the road is that much more worthwhile.

https://apronsinaction.homedepotfoundation.org/

I remember when I was a pup, and looking for a home.  I had no place to go, and no human to call my own.

As I wandered about in the streets, in the rain the heat and the snow.  I remember eating what I could find and I was always on the go.

My body ached my skin would itch, and my feet were always sore.  Humans all around me wondered if I was tame, but none of them would even call my name.

Humans thought that hurting me was really lots of fun, I never saw a loving glance, and was always on the run.

And then one day as I was all alone, I heard a voice so soft and so sweet.  She said, “come to me girl, let me lift you off your feet.”

Then softly I heard in my ear, “No more days of wandering, no more days of Fear, I’m taking you home with me” and she began to cheer.

“No more rain upon your coat, you’ll have enough to eat. And when you fall deep asleep your dreams will all be sweet.”

This was a first for me as I lived so long in fear, I had never let a human get so close or come so near.

As she washed out my open wounds and brushed and bathed my fur, she told me about a rescue group that meant so much to her.

“Stiggys Dogs” she said, “would rescue dogs like me, and feed and train me and then they would set me free.”

They would find a wounded warrior that needed help like me, and they would then teach them just how to care for me.

She said, “ We are a circle, a line that never ends. And in the center there is you protected by new friends.”

As we roam around and check all the pounds, we match you up with warriors that you live with once you have been found.

And as we teach these Vets who come from near and far, once your in their home you become the star.

Many wounded warriors need our help so dear, as they too live in constant fear. But with Stiggys Dogs leading the way, our dogs have finally found a place to play. With loving eyes and gentle touch they give back what was lost.

Now every night I say a prayer
to all the gods that be.
“Thank you for the life I live and all you’ve given me.”

-Marine Veteran Fred Koster and Sasha