Chino Hills, CA, March 7, 2022 – A U.S. Marine with PTSD will soon be paired with a specially trained service dog thanks to the fundraising efforts of Jordon Houle, general manager of NUTRISHOP® Chino Hills, CA and U.S. Coast Guard veteran. Houle was looking for a new way to give back to veterans and to his community. He knew he wanted to tackle the David Goggins Challenge (a.k.a. 4x4x48) to run four miles every four hours for 48 hours straight, but he wanted to do it for more than bragging rights. So, he approached Paws 4 Success in Chino Hills with the idea of doing the challenge to raise funds for the local non-profit that trains dogs for special needs. Together, they came up with a plan, created a landing page for the event, and got the community involved.
“I decided to take on the 4x4x48 challenge to challenge myself, inspire my community, and raise funds and awareness for an amazing local non-profit that does so much for this community,” said Houle, 34, who resides in Chino Hills. “Anytime I have a chance to help support veterans and animals, I am all in.”
On Friday, March 4 at 8 p.m., Houle and his friend, Greg Myatt, ran the first of 12 4-mile legs. Because the legs were spaced out every four hours, the duo had to run overnight (12 a.m. and 4 a.m.) Friday and Saturday nights. Houle said the two grabbed snacks and quick naps when and where they could but felt strong the entire time, albeit tired of course. About 15-20 others joined the pair on various legs of the challenge, which ended on Sunday, March 6. The charitable challenge has brought in $3,400 so far for Paws 4 Success, making it the highest-grossing fundraiser the non-profit has experienced since its inception two years ago.
“Jordon is an amazing man who has served his country and is now serving the community through challenges like the David Goggins Challenge. He reminds us that the world is larger than ourselves, and with compassion, we can impact the lives of others in big ways,” said Dave Harrison, founder of Paws 4 Success. “We were honored to have been chosen as the recipient of this fundraiser. ... We enjoy working with local businesses that share the same values as our organization and we look forward to accomplishing so much more with Jordon and Nutrishop.”
The money, which came in through donations and the sale of T-shirts supplied by Nutrishop Chino Hills, will be used to pay for the training of a PTSD service dog for U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant Seth Barnes. During his time in the Marine Corps, Barnes was deployed to Afghanistan and Hawaii. He worked with explosives and later underwater explosives and is in the process of transitioning out of the military. Barnes will be paired with Ocho, a 2-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer that, interestingly, was trained in underwater explosive detection. Ocho and Barnes are a match in more ways than one. And, Houle couldn’t be more proud to be a part of their bonding.
“I will never forget this challenge and the incredible amount of support and excitement it ignited within this community. I will be forever grateful,” said Houle. “I want to thank Paws 4 Success and its amazing founders, Dave and Nicole Harrison, who supported us throughout the entire challenge!”
To learn more and/or donate, visit https://support.paws4success.org/run-4-ocho/.
About NUTRISHOP®
Since 2003, NUTRISHOP has helped countless individuals live a fit, healthy, happy lifestyle. NUTRISHOP stores offer customers a low-price guarantee on a wide array of cutting-edge dietary supplements along with exceptional, individualized customer service, easy-to-follow meal plans, body composition assessment tools, and sound nutritional guidance. The NUTRISHOP business model focuses primarily on franchisee-owned and operated stores that provide consumers with the tools required to achieve their health and fitness goals. For more information, visit NutrishopUSA.com and follow on Instagram @NutrishopUSA. To learn more about becoming a Nutrishop franchisee, visit NutrishopFranchise.com.
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