Distinguished U.S. Veteran Embarks on Pet Supplies Plus-Sponsored Trek Benefiting Shelter to Soldier

SAN DIEGO - Sept. 1, 2016 - PRLog -- When LT Jennifer McCollough (USN) learned of the opportunity to win the trip of a lifetime through corporate entity Pet Supplies Plus, she jumped at the chance to tell the story of rescuing a pup named "Rosie" from a highway in Texas, and charted a course to hike from the War Dog Memorial in Holmdel, New Jersey, to Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., with a stop at the Pennsylvania War Dog Memorial in Bristol, PA. Jennifer, Rosie, and family dog "Falcor" will begin their adventure on September 3, 2016, concurrently raising funds for Shelter to Soldier, a veteran-related non-profit organization headquartered in San Diego, CA.

Along with two other recipients, Jennifer's winning application was chosen from 2,800 entries as part of the "Path to Adventure" contest sponsored by Pet Supplies Plus in coordination with the launch of their Redford Naturals dog food brand and in partnership with The Sheppard, LLC. The prize package includes a six-month supply of dog food and a GoPro^Ò Hero4 Session camera with Fetch^TM Mount, along with a stipend to underwrite trip costs. #RedfordNaturals (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/redfordnaturals) #GOWILD (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/gowild).

In honor of all fallen heroes, canine and human, the trio will conclude their trip at Arlington National Cemetery on September 11, 2016. Along the way, they will raise funds for the San Diego-based non-profit, Shelter to Soldier, a non-profit entity that adopts dogs from shelters and trains them to be psychiatric service dogs for veterans suffering from PTS and TBI at no cost to qualifying veterans (http://www.sheltertosoldier.org).

Every day on average, twenty (20) U.S. veterans and one (1) active duty service member commit suicide (Department of Veteran Affairs) and every day, 3200 dogs are euthanized in the U.S. Studies estimate that one in every five military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from PTSD. The services Shelter to Soldier provides for free to veterans and their commitment to adopt dogs, fulfills the mission of this organization by "Saving Lives, Two at a Time".

Jennifer remarks, "I was seeking an accredited charity that helps both dogs get out of the shelters and veterans who need help moving forward to lead fulfilling lives. As a former helicopter pilot who returned from three deployments and experienced the loss of multiple friends, I know how meaningful it is to have a dog relying on you to come home, absorb your tears during times of sorrow, and nudge your hand when you need encouragement.  Having rescued one dog from the street and two dogs from families who no longer wanted them, I learned how important, yet expensive it is to properly train a service dog. That's why I selected Shelter to Soldier as my charity of choice for this very meaningful civilian mission."

Jennifer served on active duty as a naval aviator following graduation from the United States Naval Academy in 2001 during which she primarily flew the MH-60S helicopter, completing three deployments to the Middle East on various ships and with the U.S. Marine Corps in Fallujah, Iraq. She is currently serving as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge Sue L. Robinson in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware and will be joining the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. as part of the Attorney General's Honors Program. She also serves as an advocate for Circle Star K9 Rescue, a Texas non-profit organization that rescues dogs from an otherwise uncertain future.