Save the date, and bring your dogs!
Veterans, military personnel, children under 12, and dogs get in free
Bring your dog, and join the 2018 Dogs2Vets Festival on April 29 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Willard Field in Devens for a fun-filled, wagging-good time. Clear Path for Veterans New England, theRotary Club of Nashoba Valley, and the Rotary Club of Ayer, Devens, Harvard and Shirley are working together to host an eventful festival. We are excited to bring this first-of-its-kind festival to Devens. Net proceeds will fund the training of 10 new service dogs.
Clear Path for Veterans NE along with the Rotary clubs of Nashoba Valley and Ayer, Devens, Harvard and Shirley are excited to bring the Dogs2Vets mission to New England, matching service dogs with local veterans. The program, perfected in Clear Path for Veterans' center in New York state, involves the veteran in the canine-training process, working together with the trainer to achieve individual goals.
The goal of the 2018 Dogs2Vets Festival is to raise enough funds to provide at least two service dogs to local veterans. Festival sponsorships include the opportunity to either sponsor or co-sponsor a service dog.
The goal of the 2018 Dogs2Vets Festival is to raise enough funds to provide at least two service dogs to local veterans. Festival sponsorships include the opportunity to either sponsor or co-sponsor a service dog.
The admission fee is $10 per non-veteran adult, which will be collected at the entrance. Veterans, military personnel, children under 12, and dogs will get in for free. Dogs must be on a leash that is no longer than six feet and have up-to-date vaccinations.
Both sponsorships levels and vendor space, for $50 per 10-foot-by-10-foot space, are available. For more information on sponsorship levels and vendor space, contact Donna Bulger at 508-308-0724 ordbulger@clearpathne.org.
Dogs2Vets provides an opportunity for veterans and their families to participate in dog training, whether the activity is to provide skills to the family pet to alleviate stress or to work towards a fully ADA-certified support dog. “Socializing with dogs can provide enormous support to veterans as they reconnect in their communities,” says Donna Bulger, executive director of Clear Path for Veterans NE.
All Dogs2Vets participants commit to a six-week introductory training course that concentrates on the responsibilities associated with owning a dog. “The length and nature of the training process varies, and can take up to 12 months or more to complete,” says Mary Garcia, president of the Nashoba Valley club.
The Dogs2Vets format allows the veteran and their family to make the choices that best suit their personal path towards reconnecting, restoring and transitioning. “Dogs2Vets offers a path focused on social engagement, positive outlook, trust and hope, all of which is reinforced through the canine partnership,” says Dolores Alberghini, president of the Ayer, Devens, Harvard and Shirley club.
For more information on the 2018 Dogs2Vets Festival, contact: Donna Bulger, executive director of Clear Path for Veterans NE, at 508-308-0724 or dbulger@clearpathne.org; Mary Garcia, president of the Nashoba Valley club, at978-337-3571 or leapforward@aol.com; or Dolores Alberghini, president of the Ayer, Devens, Harvard and Shirley club, at 978-852-7932 or direnea@charter.net.
About Us
Clear Path for Veterans New England is a 501(c)3 charitable non-profit organization, established in 2017 with one mission: to build a safe, supportive and respectful place for veterans to seek the help and resources they need in order to successfully integrate into their communities. The family is an integral part of this, and the first line of defense in upholding wellness. Clear Path’s vision is to create a community that understands and supports the journey home for our veterans and their families, and inspires other communities to do the same. For more information, contact Executive Director Donna Bulger at 508-308-0724 or dbulger@clearpathne.org
The mission of both the Rotary Club of Nashoba Valley and the Rotary Club of Ayer, Devens, Harvard and Shirleyis "service above self." The clubs belong to District 7910 of Zone 32 of Rotary International, whose 1.2 million members in more than 34,000 clubs globally come together to create positive, lasting change in our communities and around the world.
The Nashoba Valley club, which serves the communities of Bolton, Lancaster and Stow, meets the first, third, and fifth Thursdays at 7:15 a.m. at Emma's Cafe, 117 Great Rd. in Stow, and the second and fourth Thursdays at 5:45 p.m. at Nancy's Air Field Cafe, 302 Boxboro Rd. in Stow. For more information, contact club President Mary Garcia at 978-337 3571 or
The Ayer, Devens, Harvard and Shirley club meets Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. at the Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Rd. (Route 2A) in Shirley. For more information, contact club President Dolores Alberghini at 978-852-7932 or direnea@charter.net.