Bristol Sjostrom offered 8,000 further packing containers of Lady Scout cookies hoping to cowl the price of a service canine for a Grundy County veteran, or first responder.

The important thing phrase is “further.” the 10-year-old Gardner resident offered a complete of 22,775 packing containers this yr, 21,557 in 2021, and 10,000 in 2020, in response to Bristol’s mom Marie Sjostrum.

The service canine’s coaching prices $7,000, Marie Sjostrum mentioned.

Nonetheless, Bristol and Marie can’t appear to find a Grundy County resident to sponsor.

The household has reached out on social media and contacted native veteran’s teams with no luck, Marie mentioned.

“We all know there’s a want on the market,” Marie mentioned.

The U.S. Division of Veterans Affairs web site mentioned service canines assist veterans with post-traumatic stress syndrome by elevating their temper, decreasing their stress and getting veterans outdoors to work together with folks. Moreover, well-trained canine is aware of to obey orders, which places veterans proper of their consolation zone, the veterans affairs web site mentioned.

The subject of service canines and veterans first got here up in 2020 at multi-level Lady Scout Troop 75466 in Mazon, which Marie leads, and of which Bristol is a member.

The troop mentioned the various methods canines helps people, from police canines to remedy canines, to service canines. From there, the troop determined to sponsor a veteran for a service canine, Marie mentioned.

The ladies offered a complete of 30,000 packing containers of Lady Scout cookies to pay for the service canine’s coaching and labored with the Plainfield-based K9s for Veterans to make sure a Grundy County veteran obtained a service canine.

Consequently, Rocky, a pit bull lab combine, went to Zack Jett, 32, of Coal Metropolis, who’s now the Midwest spokesperson for K9s for Veterans.

Jett mentioned he needed to grow to be concerned as soon as he noticed and expertise the advantages of service canines for veterans.

“And there are undoubtedly veterans on this space [Grundy County] that wants extra of that assist system behind them,” Jett mentioned.

Jett mentioned the K9s for Veterans program is nice for veterans and good for the service canines, who’re rescued from kill shelters.

“The canines get free meals and medical look after life,” Jett mentioned.

Jett mentioned hung out in Afghanistan throughout his Military service from early 2010 to the tip of 2014 and has since struggled with post-traumatic stress dysfunction.

He mentioned his spouse reached out to Troop 75466 after she noticed a Fb submit in regards to the troop eager to sponsor a veteran for a service canine.

Bristol mentioned service canines can assist veterans who’ve post-traumatic stress syndrome.

“If he has an evening terror, the canine licks him awake,” Bristol mentioned.

Bristol loved the expertise a lot, she needed to donate one other service canine this yr, Marie mentioned.

“The opposite women within the troop needed to do one thing totally different,” Marie mentioned. “So she determined to get a service canine on her personal and lift the cash to do it for her bronze challenge.”

Lady Scouts within the fourth and fifth grade can earn a bronze award for group service tasks, in response to the Lady Scouts web site.

Bristol additionally attended a coaching session in Cicero just a few weeks in the past, the place she noticed, the right solution to maintain the leash, which is she is practising at dwelling along with her canine, she mentioned.

“That’s the onerous half about discovering a veteran,” Marie mentioned. “They need to get to Cicero to take the coaching.”

However the effort, for Bristol, is totally price it.

“Due to how blissful it made Zack and Rocky,” Bristol mentioned.

For extra info or to counsel a Grundy Depend veteran or first responder for a service canine, name Marie Sjostrom. at 815-830-1713.

For extra info on K9s for Veterans, go to k9sforveteransnfp.org.