Pittsburgh, Nov. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs has announced they are breaking ground on their Pennsylvania Campus. This campus will bring the organization’s mission to help those with permanent disabilities to the northeast region of the United States.
The new state-of-the-art campus will cover 102 acres, with one hundred acres in Washington County, McDonald, and two in Allegheny County. It will be located twenty minutes from downtown Pittsburgh, ten minutes from the airport, and run along the Montour Trail.
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs is a 501(c)3 organization based in Williston, Florida. This organization was established in 2010 by Founder and Chief Executive Officer Carol Borden to rescue, raise, train, and donate service dogs to assist those with permanent disabilities, including PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, Seizure and Diabetic disorders, Mobility issues, and more. “Being here will enable us to serve more people throughout Pennsylvania and the northeastern region of the United States in many ways,” said Borden.
The new campus will include the Borden Institute of Higher Learning, where they will teach all animal-related careers. The campus will also feature training housing for recipients when they are introduced to and paired with their service dog, as well as the Borden Veterinary Teaching Hospital, where dogs in training and their paired teams will receive care. Borden said the hospital will eventually offer low-cost veterinary care to the community.
“After visiting Pittsburgh for nearly a decade, we have had the pleasure of meeting many incredible people in southwestern Pennsylvania and throughout the region who have embraced and supported our mission. It felt right to bring our first campus outside of Florida to this area,” said Borden.
The groundbreaking ceremony will be held Friday, November 10th at 11:30 a.m. at 900 Beagle Club Rd., McDonald, PA 15057. Guests should dress appropriately for the weather and wear suitable footwear for uneven ground. Light refreshments will be available.
The ceremony will feature the National Anthem, speeches from notable individuals, and a presentation of the colors by Butch Burke, President of Vietnam Veterans Inc. and Leader of the Color Guard, who have made donations to the campus. The ceremony will also feature an invocation by Brian Janssen, Pastor of Bethany Presbyterian Church, who, along with his congregation, has raised approximately $25,000 for the campus over the last five years.
Supporters from the community and politicians from various levels of government, including Nate Nevala, District Chief of Staff, on behalf of U.S. Congressman Guy Reschenthaler. Congressman Reschenthaler worked to help Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs acquire $3 million in Community Project Funding for the campus.
This event is open to the public. We ask that those who wish to attend, please RSVP by November 8th to Sylee Gibson at sgibson@medicalservicedogs.org or 352-529-7384.
To learn more about this event or how to support this project by purchasing a brick, sponsoring a building, or donating, visit the Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs website at medicalservicedogs.org.
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