A Colorado organization devoted to providing service dogs to people with disabilities has won a $50,000 grant from Pepsico.
Barbara Brady, a Lakewood woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2005, suggested that Colorado-based GAP Service Dogs enter the contest known as the 50K Pepsi Refresh Everything.
Brady has a GAP service dog name Jasper. He helps her cope with vertigo; helps her upstairs, carries a pack on his back with Brady’s belongs; and is trained to provide a “medical alert” if Brady is having difficulties.
Last November, Pepsi announced the contest and more than 300,000 50K grant ideas were received.
Brady’s idea was that GAP Service Dogs should enter seeking to use the money to purchase a new van and power wheelchair lift for GAP Service Dogs. The van and lift would help transport clients and their service dogs to training opportunities.
Brady said that GAP Service Dogs entered the contest as “underdogs.”
She said that from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs, GAP clients and volunteers went to malls, bus stops, Black Friday lines, and holiday craft shows to ask for votes from strangers. They passed out 10,000 business cards.
As a result of the effort, many votes were cast for GAP Service Dogs, enabling the organization to win the $50,0000.
The organization said it was thrilled to receive the money. The dogs enhance the lives of people with disabilities by increasing their independence. The new van and power wheelchair lift will improve client access to the service dog program.
Brady said that the dogs are provided free along with 136 hours of training.
She has had Jasper for four years.
She said she recently took Jasper to Oregon to care for a relative and could not have done so without Jasper’s help.Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
