Local nonprofit provides life-changing service dogs to veterans at no cost: 'I love him to death'

LAKE COUNTY, Ill. - In this morning’s Good News Guarantee, a local nonprofit is giving service dogs to veterans at no cost. 

The gift can be life-changing and life-saving.  

"I love him to death and he is like my ride-or-die partner," said Marine Corps veteran Sean Smith as he smiled alongside his service dog, Hawk.  "He brings me so much joy and peace.  Before I had him, it was a constant struggle and a daily fight to just wake up and roll out of bed every day."  

Three tours of duty left Smith, who lives in Winfield, with the physical and neurological wounds of war. He’s found an unlikely hero in Hawk.

"These guys give so much and got so little in return and we're just trying to help them out. That’s probably, I can say, that's the reason we're doing this," said Tom Bolek, a board member with the Lake County nonprofit Very Important Pooches Service Dog Foundation.

The foundation was created in 2011 by a local mom who needed a service dog for her developmentally disabled son. The program was expanded to assist veterans three years ago. 

"It's a great cause and I know lots of veterans that would love to have a dog," said Marine Corps veteran David Wilsman of Orland Park. 

Wilsman met his dog, Grover, through the program.

"He comes to work with me every day. He's a great companion. Everybody loves him," Wilsman said. 

To date, the VIP Service Dog Foundation has connected six local veterans to dogs, providing free training to make sure they’re the perfect fit.  

"The whole goal of this organization is to help and be there for one another.  We're like a big family unit so reminds me of the military," Smith said. 

A fully trained service dog can cost $30,000 dollars. VIP Service Dog Foundation covers the costs for veterans. They have partnered with a group called Brats, Bourbon and Brews out of Joliet for a fundraiser on Oct. 22.  

You can find more information at BratsBourbonBrews.org.