Pond Lehocky Stern Giordano is proud to be the 2019 Presenting Sponsor of Team Foster’s “Ruff Ride”— a 24-hour spin relay that raises money to pair injured and disabled veterans with service dogs in the Tri-State area.
The event kicks off on Friday, May 31st, at 11:00 a.m. and lasts until Saturday, June 1st, at 11:00 a.m. in the courtyard between the One and Two Commerce Square buildings in Center City Philadelphia, in between 20th and 21st Streets.
Ruff Ride challenges businesses, organizations and other teams to work together and keep their bike pedals spinning for 24 consecutive hours. Live stats will be displayed on the Commerce Square jumbotron at 2005 Market Street as each team battles to bring home the Ruff Ride trophy. Individual and team prizes will be awarded for most watts generated, most funds raised and Ruff Ride MVP.
Music and food will be provided. More importantly, riders can count on some canine camaraderie for motivation, courtesy of the Team Foster Heroes litter.
Team Foster is an all-volunteer nonprofit founded by Pond Lehocky Attorney and Army veteran Nick Liermann to honor the memory of his friend and fellow servicemember Captain Erick Foster, who was killed in action in 2007 in Iraq. To carry on Erick’s legacy, Liermann and Team Foster raises money to partner service dogs with veterans suffering from combat-related disabilities such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Service dogs are vital in the rehabilitation of injured and disabled veterans. Not only can service dogs assist with physical tasks, they have also been shown to provide significant mental health benefits. Every day in the U.S., approximately 22 veterans struggling to deal with life after combat commit suicide. A service dog can bring a serviceman back from the brink. As research and data shows, service dogs can reduce PTSD symptoms, reduce anger and anxiety, lower depression levels, improve psychological and physiological well-being, improve the ability to participate in social activities and increase life satisfaction.
Service dogs are not funded by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), insurance companies or the federal government, and just one dog can cost upwards of $25,000 to obtain, care for and specially train. This is what spurred Liermann to found Team Foster, using the money raised to provide service dogs to veterans in need.
Presenting the event underscores Pond Lehocky’s dedication to our veterans and hard-working Americans. The Firm has the region’s only TSGLI (Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection) practice group, which is led by Liermann. TSGLI provides short-term financial assistance to severely injured servicemembers and veterans to help them in their recovery from traumatic injuries. TSGLI covers not just combat and traumatic injuries, but also injuries incurred on or off duty.
To learn more about Ruff Ride and how you can participate in or sponsor the event, click here. To donate to Team Foster, click here.
If you are a veteran and believe you are entitled to veterans’ benefits, Social Security Disability or workers’ compensation benefits, contact Pond Lehocky at 800-568-7500 or chat anytime at pondlehocky.com. Veterans have served us honorably, and we are proud to serve them.