A trip to a dog-training class unleashed the charitable spirit of a Russellville junior who fetched both cash and dog toys to benefit a local charity that helps match service dogs with combat veterans.
Jesse Daniel, a junior at Russellville High School, donated $100 and more than 200 dog toys Thursday morning to K9s on The Front Line.
K9s on The Front Line is a nonprofit organization that provides service dogs to combat veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder at no cost to the veteran. K9s on The Front Line also has a program for veterans who merely need a companion. The program's costs are completely covered by donations and grants.
The Daniel family was introduced to the coordinator for the local charity when they took their dog to him for training.
"Jason (Howe) had a place we went to go train, and we just started talking to him about K9s on The Front Line," Daniel said. "That's how it started."
After attending a fundraiser the charity held for veterans, Daniel said he vowed to help the dogs. He contacted his school and made a Facebook post, asking the community to gather shirts, which would be made into toys for the dogs.
And the community responded, donating more than 600 shirts. Each dog toy is made out of three shirts, so he was able to create 200 dog toys.
"The $100 (donated by the community) will go back toward helping more veterans and service dogs," Howe said.