We won! We *Knife-handed* it! 8378 votes. It still takes a minute to settle in….8378

8378 people, family, friends, fans, dog lovers, Veterans, supporters. 8378 times, people from the community, across the Nation and even Internationally,  showed their support. This is the amazing part to me. It isn’t the $25,ooo (which is MUCH needed and will go to good use) but about the people behind a organization….

I got phone calls, emails and messages all saying the same message. “Congratulations! You won, You did it….” I stop right there. Winning this wasn’t me. I really did nothing (but vote everyday myself). This *Win* is about YOU, YOU did this!!! Everyone who not only voted everyday, but who shared it through their networks, pushed it though friends networks. It’s about coming together for our Veterans. The winner here truly is our Veterans and our dogs.

Even the other non profits we competed against are winners. Which was the hardest part of this, competing against another well deserved Veterans group. And speaking of well deserved, Three Hots and a Cot. For a small, new non profit, you gave us one heck of a run for our money. I am impressed. With your support and enthusiasm, you will go far. I look forward to following your success too…

Receiving this $25,000 gives me a huge sigh of relief. Knowing this will help us tremendously as we reach our goals for Stiggy’s Sanctuary. But personally, this is motivation. Not the financial motivation you would think. But the kind of motivation that is priceless. The *team* we have built,  It is 8738 pieces of motivation in my soul….