They even donated a brand-new Outback for vet visits, emergency transports, anything we need. Mike Schulte and his team at Schulte Subaru, our local Subaru retailer in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, fitted our van with custom rear heating and air conditioning for the safety and comfort of our precious cargo. We clock one or two rescue missions a week at 900 miles each, round-trip.Īlso, these animals are transported in style. B-Squad has moved over 8,000 dogs and puppies – and we do adoptions now, too. They said yes and, four years later, I’m still transporting. I called a shelter near my hometown in Minnesota and asked if they’d be willing to take any dogs if I was willing to make the 13-hour roundtrip journey to get and deliver them. But when I learned about a reservation in South Dakota that was home to packs of stray dogs, with no veterinary care, shelters or animal control, I was compelled to get involved. I’m a busy banker, wife and mom, leading a full life. Mandi Haase from Brandon, South Dakota, founded B-Squad Dog Rescue, a volunteer organization that rescues homeless dogs. But here, they can do everything.” Finding Homes “During a typical field day, they may be reluctant to try for fear of bullying or failure. As long as I’m in the area – even after graduation – I will be back to help.” We stuffed backpacks with coloring supplies, stickers, bouncy balls, tattoos, sunglasses and water bottles.Īll of it, from the activities to the goody bags, creates a day that feels like a carnival with all the emotions of a trip to a theme park. I took more than 700 pictures of the kids during the event, and I helped get donations for the all-important goody bags. This year, I helped with planning, fundraising and setup. During a typical field day, they may be reluctant to try for fear of bullying or failure. These kids, some with cerebral palsy or spina bifida or Down syndrome or motor impairments, they’re all very capable of achieving amazing things. His parents were so happy, saying how much they look forward to this event every year. I sat with him and we chatted about school and sports. During lunch, he even ate his pizza next to the game, next to me. We were throwing Frisbees at targets that hung from a tree. There was this one little boy who kept returning to my station again and again. The first year I participated, I helped the kids take part in some of the activities, making sure every kid could play. Before getting involved, I had zero experience working with disabled children, and I had never volunteered before. It’s a field day for local kids with disabilities. Each year the school holds something called the Hurricane Challenge. “I’m studying to be a physical therapist at the University of Miami. Rising to the Challengeĭerrick Antes of Coral Gables, Florida, with other University of Miami physical therapy students, participates in the Hurricane Challenge, an annual field day put on by the university for local public school students with disabilities. We hope you find their stories as inspirational as we do. By finding the causes closest to their hearts and deciding where their efforts were most needed, each has been able to have a meaningful impact. In this issue, dedicated to the idea of Inspiring Kindness, we listened to the stories of several notable volunteers, all members of the Subaru community. It’s not only our employees and retailers who love to help, though – we are constantly amazed at the generosity of our owners and the entire Subaru community. The Subaru Love Promise is our vision to show love and respect to all people, and our commitment to improving the lives around us. There are countless ways to make the world a better place.
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