Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Page A-9
Group looks to serve veterans’ service animals
Anita R. Savio
IVN Contributing Writer
To Operation Rambo co-founder and
Gulf War veteran Ray Rosa, the eponymous
movie character represents the struggles of
every veteran. So there was no question that
Rambo was the perfect name for his German
shepherd service animal. But when canine
Rambo was 3 years old and needed expensive
ACL surgery on two of his knees, Rosa knew
of nowhere to turn for help.
“I felt devastated, lost,” Rosa recalled.
Rosa eventually was able to pay for
the first knee via a GoFundMe account and
a sympathetic veterinarian. But out of that
experience, he and friend Heather Allen (also
an Operation Rambo co-founder) concluded
there was a need for an organization to help
disabled vets pay for the medical demands of
their service animals.
“There are a lot of vets who have service
animals,” said Allen. “What are the odds a vet
can afford a $3,000 to $4,000 medical bill?”
Luckily Allen has the background to
help make their project a reality, with three
and a half years’ experience as the training
and development director for the Southern
Oregon Goodwill Veterans Program as well
as experience as a freelance grant writer.
Operation Rambo now has official nonprofit
status, a five member board, and is in the
process of seeking grants, planning events and
building community partnerships with other
veterans and animal welfare organizations.
Currently the organization works closely
with the Rogue Valley Humane Society and
Dogs for the Deaf.
However, along the way the mission
of Operation Rambo has broadened. A dog
breeder in Selma donated a puppy to Rosa, and
then someone else donated a second puppy.
Now, with the help of Operation Rambo board
member and dog trainer Ken LaFlamme,
the organization has taken on the project of
training the puppies, hopefully, to be service
dogs, which will then be provided to disabled
veterans at little or no cost.
“So many things have happened,” said
Allen, “we’ve kind of rolled with that.”
But, she added, help with the medical
expenses of service animals continues to be the
primary focus, and where fundraising efforts
are being directed.
This year, a major fundraiser is planned
for the Ratrod –o-Rama car show, held yearly
in Pottsville. Supporters can also donate
via the website generosity.com. (Look for
the little magnifying glass icon toward the
upper right to search for Operation Rambo.)
Dog food, treats and toys for the dogs they
are raising are also appreciated. Operation
Rambo can be contacted at 541-441-0708 or
OperationRamboUSA@yahoo.com.
Rambo
Plenty of ways to celebrate Earth Day 2017
thumbs.
Each tree will have a bag
attached to it with information
specific to the tree – the type of tree,
year it was planted and the name
of the person it honors, if it is a
memorial tree.
Beginning at noon, in advance
of the 1 p.m. start, contest participants
will be given color-coded cards and
pencils on which to write information
as they locate each tree.
Adults need to accompany
young children for the activities and
prizes will be awarded at 3 p.m.
“Previous years, the club has
celebrated its significant anniversaries
at club meetings, but this is the first
time the entire community will be
involved,” said Kathy Lombardo,
club
Judy Hoyle
IVN Contributing Writer
It is time to awaken your green
spirit with Earth Day activities,
scheduled for April 22.
The Illinois Valley Garden Club
will celebrate their 90th anniversary
at Jubilee Park from 1 to 3 p.m.
Activities include a plant sale,
displays, snacks, games and a special
tree scavenger hunt.
The hunt is open to children
from preschool to high school to
join in the fun with the assignment
of finding specific trees within Cave
Junction.
Around 30 trees will be marked
with two ribbons, one green and one
pink to signify that the Garden Club
was started by women with green
secretary.
One of the displays at the
celebration will be entries from the
club’s annual photography contest.
The club was founded Feb. 12,
1927 and its actual anniversary was
celebrated at the February meeting
when members and guests were
treated to a talk by local historian
Roger Brandt.
“We had standing room only
that day, as the public is always
invited to our meetings,” said
Lombardo.
The club meets from 12:30 to 3
p.m. on the third Friday of the month,
September through May at Immanuel
Methodist Church, 200 W. Watkins.
The club is involved in many
activities including spring and fall
plant sales and assisting
Saving a Life from a potential catastrophe
EVERY 10 MINUTES
with the community garden located
south of the I.V. Safe House Alliance
office at the corner of Kerby and
Lister. Other club gardens around
Cave Junction include locations at
Laurel Cemetery, the I.V. Senior
Center and the I.V. Visitor Center
as well as providing plants and
assistance to the library and the
Smokejumper Base Museum at the
I.V. Airport.
The group also awards one or
two scholarships to I.V. High School
graduating seniors each year, along
with teaching the Master Gardener
“Seeds to Supper” classes, planting
memorial trees and picking up litter
along their assigned portion of Caves
Highway.
“We try to keep the community
on a positive track,” said Lombardo.
Another Earth Day activity will
be the new March for Science event
in Grants Pass and will also be taking
place in Washington, D.C. and in 438
other locations around the nation.
The local march will begin at
10 a.m. at Riverside Park and is being
organized by retired I.V. High School
Principal Linda Hugle.
All are invited to join the
march in support of scientists at the
Environmental Protection Agency,
the National Parks and the U.S.
Forest Service, as well as the Centers
for Disease Control and NASA who
feel they are being silenced through
budget cuts and censure.
“Let’s show the work that
Americans support science and are
not fooled by ‘alternative facts,’”
Hugle stated.
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