Kids & Canines Join Forces to Help Traumatized Vets at Bavarian Inn Lodge

The Bavarian Inn Lodge tennis courts will serve as one of two sites hosting a tennis exhibition this Saturday to generate funds for Stiggy’s Dogs, a Howell, Michigan based organization dedicated to helping veterans living with post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury by providing them with trained dogs who assist them with their daily needs.

The exhibition is being organized by the Frankenmuth Rotary Club which is bringing together players from four local high school varsity tennis teams – Frankenmuth, Caro, Clio, and Saginaw Nouvel – who will intermingle their players on four military themed-squads – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines -- to compete in singles and doubles matches throughout the day.

“We’re proud to be a long-time member of the rotary club and play a small role in assisting with this meaningful fundraiser by making our tennis courts available for some of the matches,” said Michael Keller Zehnder, General Manager of the Bavarian Inn Lodge. “Our local rotary club has a long-standing tradition of helping others and we’re always available to lend a hand whenever possible to an organization that is focused on service above self.”

The rotary club’s goal for the exhibition is to raise enough funds to train at least two dogs whose education, outfitting and deployment costs amount to $6,500 per canine. The funds are being generated through donations and the purchase of event T-shirts. More information about this event can be obtained by contacting friendjohnc@gmail.com

The exhibition will take place from 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at the Lodge and Frankenmuth High School tennis courts. A 4 p.m. closing ceremony will take place at the Bavarian Inn Lodge courts where singles and doubles champions will be crowned.

About Stiggy’s Dogs (stiggysdogs.org) … Howell, Michigan based Stiggy’s Dogs is dedicated to helping veterans living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. It does so by transforming shelter dogs into individually trained Psychiatric Service Animals at no cost to the veteran. The dogs are taught specific tasks ranging from reminding veterans to take their medication, wake up from nightmares and direct them through large crowds. The charity is named for HM3 Benjamin Phillip “Doc Stiggy” Castiglione, a marine corpsmen who gave his life on September 3, 2009 in the Helmand Province in Southern Afghanistan.
About the Frankenmuth Rotary Club (frankenmuthrotary.org) … The Frankenmuth Rotary Club is an organization of local business and professional leaders which has been providing humanitarian service, encouraging high ethical standards in all vocations, and helping build goodwill and peace in the community since 1939.

Contact: Sue Voyles, Logos Communications, Inc. 734-667-2005

About Stiggy’s Dogs (stiggysdogs.org) … Howell, Michigan based Stiggy’s Dogs is dedicated to helping veterans living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. It does so by transforming shelter dogs into individually trained Psychiatric Service Animals at no cost to the veteran. The dogs are taught specific tasks ranging from reminding veterans to take their medication, wake up from nightmares and direct them through large crowds. The charity is named for HM3 Benjamin Phillip “Doc Stiggy” Castiglione, a marine corpsmen who gave his life on September 3, 2009 in the Helmand Province in Southern Afghanistan.
About the Frankenmuth Rotary Club (frankenmuthrotary.org) … The Frankenmuth Rotary Club is an organization of local business and professional leaders which has been providing humanitarian service, encouraging high ethical standards in all vocations, and helping build goodwill and peace in the community since 1939.

713 S. Main Street
Frankenmuth, MI 48734

This release was published on openPR.