ORANGE PARK – One of the community service projects the Garden Club of Orange Park is Kans4K9’s.

Each month members deposit clean aluminum cans in a special receptacle at the Garden Center. One member, Ruth Johansen, transfers the cans to a collection area at Advent Lutheran Church on Loch Rane Boulevard. From there, Kans4K9’s organizer Lynn Vernon takes the cans to be recycled. All proceeds from the sale of the cans are donated to K9’s for Warriors in Nocatee. The organization screens and trains dogs to be paired with veterans who can benefit from a canine service companion, at no cost to the veteran.

As a dog sponsor, Lynn was invited to enter a dog naming contest, and her entry of “Kane” won. Kans4K9’s will be kept updated on Kane’s progress in the program, and the Garden Club and Advent Lutheran Church will be updated by Lynn.

“Kane has completed four weeks of his formal service dog training, after whizzing thru four weeks of his preliminary evaluations with no issues,” Vernon said. “Thanks to each of you for being part of this project to help our veterans in a pretty unconventional way. ‘Garbage to good’ I call it. And since aluminum is terribly expensive to create but extremely inexpensive to repeatedly recycle. I love that aspect as well. My thanks are never ending.”

Kans4K9’s donation this past year amounted to $7,695.60 – the majority, if not all, of which was matched.

The Garden Club acknowledges the dedication of Vernon and our deceased member Zana Burnett who brought this organization to our attention and encouraged our involvement. Special thanks to Ruth Johansen for coordinating with Advent Lutheran Church and the Garden Club.