Meet Cocoa
​​We are thrilled to announce that we are partnering with the Stratham Volunteer Fire Department this year to raise awareness of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in First Responders. PTSD is a mental health condition that may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, series of events or circumstances. An individual may experience this as emotionally or physically harmful or life-threatening and may affect mental, physical, social, and/or spiritual well-being. (Psychiatry.org)
​
​
​
​
We are partnering with a retired Assistant Fire Chief and his service dog Cocoa with the goal of raising funds for Cocoa's training. The cost of purchasing a trained service dog can be as high as $50,000, depending on the needs, and insurance does not typically cover of any it. Training takes approximately two years and the typical “working life” for a service dog is between 6 and 8 years.
What's in store for 2024?
-
"Frights 4 Lives"
-
A Halloween Holiday home lighting contest! Stratham residents may enter the contest for a donation. The winner of the contest will win two round-trip airline tickets.
-
-
Stratham Fire Department Holiday Lights Parade in December
-
Bonfire at Stratham Hill Park in January
-
Raffle tickets for 2 sets of round trip airline tickets and other amazing prizes, donated by local businesses. Food and drinks served up by FD Auxiliary's Big Red!​​
-
​
All proceeds from these events will go to support the training of Cocoa. Any additional funds raised will be earmarked for other First Responders in the area diagnosed with PTSD.
​
DONATIONS ARE ALSO WELCOME AND APPRECIATED!
​
​
June is PTSD Awareness Month
