NSB Presents $10,000 to Mission Working Dogs at Annual Corporators’ Meeting on May 4
AUBURN — “Seeing the ways these relationships provide joy, calm, and companionship is a true reward for myself and all of us at Mission Working Dogs. It’s an honor to do this work.”
The words of Christy Gardner, founder and president of Mission Working Dogs, deeply affected the hundreds of people who filled the ballroom at the Hilton Garden Inn Auburn Riverwatch on the evening of May 4. The occasion was the Norway Savings Bank Corporators’ Meeting and the message was equal parts astounding and awe-inspiring.
Christy appeared on a Mission Working Dogs panel hosted by NSB’s Chief Operating Officer EVP Darci Hamm as part of the meeting, telling the story of the Oxford-based nonprofit that breeds, raises, and trains service dogs for disabled veterans and civilians suffering from issues spanning from physical disabilities to post-traumatic stress disorder. The organization also trains therapy dogs to provide comfort at hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. Started in 2020, the program has grown from four dogs to 115, but the healing created by this organization may well be limitless.
In recognition of Mission Working Dogs incredible mission and impact, Norway Savings Bank was pleased to present the organization with a $10,000 check.
“The love and companionship stemming from this remarkable organization is life-changing for so many people,” said Dan Walsh, President and CEO of Norway Savings Bank. “It is our distinct honor and pleasure to play a small part in helping these passionate people continue to help and inspire.”
Inspiring is the perfect word to describe Christy herself. An accomplished athlete in high school and college, she joined the U.S. Army where she rose to the rank of Military Police Sergeant. In 2006, she sustained life-altering injuries while serving, including organ, spinal, and brain damage. Over several years, she worked tirelessly on her mobility, core strength, and education, having to restart at the third-grade level, and also had both of her lower legs amputated in 2016.
“Christy entered the world of adaptive sports and, to the surprise of few, blew away even the wildest of expectations,” said Melissa Rock, Marketing Director SVP at NSB, during the Corporators’ Meeting. “She played on the Team USA Women’s Paralympic ice hockey team. She also went from never having surfed to representing her country at the International Surfing Association World Para Surfing Championship in less than a year. She is also a world-ranked para thrower and aspires to make the U.S. Paralympic team in Los Angeles in 2028.”
All while operating Mission Working Dogs, where lives are changed for the better every day, including Christy’s.
“In the military, I did my job and I like to think I did it fairly well and made an impact, but not of this scope,” said Christy. “I think the number of people we’ve truly helped is huge and it’s going to continue to grow.”
There are so many ways to assist Mission Working Dogs carry out this caring. To learn more about the organization and how to get involved, visit www.missionworkingdogs.org.
