Dyer Difference Award Celebrates K-9 Crime Fighters& Ruckers

Dyer Difference Award Celebrates K-9 Crime Fighters& Ruckers
 
It’s no surprise that when it comes to law enforcement, man’s best friends are fiercely loyal, fearless when protecting, and humble to a fault. What may be a surprise is that they are also happy to be rewarded with nothing more than a scratch behind the ears and hearing the words, “Good boy.” Of course, that’s because in law enforcement, man’s best friends are the K-9 officers who travel with their handler and provide an extra layer of protection, assistance, and partnership in the battle against crime on the Treasure Coast. In September, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office unveiled a new indoor K-9 training facility, which is the first one on the Treasure Coast. The idea behind the indoor facility is that, while the training for a K-9 partner and officer are extensive, the physical limitations of training in Florida’s intense heat can prove to be detrimental to progress. The indoor facility, which is open to all law enforcement agencies on the Treasure Coast and includes an office, kitchen, bedroom, and living room, will help ensure that the dogs and handlers will be able to complete their vital training and practice ‘real-life’ situations and scenarios without completely wearing them out physically. Helping to support this important facet of law enforcement made the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Training Unit a simple choice for the November Dyer Difference Award in Indian River County.
 
In St. Lucie County, the staff and management at Dyer answered a resounding “Yes!” when asked, “Do You Give a Ruck?” The nonprofit organization, Do You Give a Ruck, is all about making a difference in veterans’ lives by raising awareness and funds to help support veterans and veteran causes. The organization’s founder, Jimmy Lee Jackson, a veteran with PTSD, says that helping raise awareness and funds for veterans also helps provide hope for a better future for veterans who are often feeling disengaged from community and family. By marching to support veterans’ causes, supporters of Do You Give a Ruck? Help to provide hope and community to other veterans. In December, the group will host Operation Ruckmas, which will include the Army vs. Navy Football Game, a Santa Banana Pub Crawl, and a toy and supply drive to help veterans. January will feature a barbecue challenge, and weekly rucks in Vero Beach. Like the organization it inspired, a ruck march is an everyday part of life for the infantry, both as a great way to build up fitness levels, as well as move troops and supplies over long distances. It is a core capability required to complete many missions, and it is the reason why Do You Give a Ruck was selected to be recognized with the November Dyer Difference Award in St. Lucie County.
 
The Dyer Difference Award is all about celebrating the beauty and kindness in our midst. For the Dyer family and the members of the Dyer staff, the award and the $6,000 in donations made monthly between the St. Lucie and Indian River Counties are all about helping to make a positive difference in the community. For the recipients, it’s an acknowledgement of their tireless efforts to do the same and a much-needed financial boost to help further their missions. If you’d like to nominate a non-profit organization for the Dyer Difference Award, please visit www.dyerdifference.org or find Dyer Difference on Facebook.