Around Town with Robert Airoldi – To the delight of hundreds, Operation Freedom Paws dedicates flag
By John English – Morgan Hill life
Located in San Martin’s Industrial and Commercial zone, you will find Operation Freedom Paws on Llagas Avenue. Surrounded by the local transfer station, a large used car business, and a building material supplier sits this unique nonprofit. The name Operation Freedom Paws may conjure up a military operation or something connected with animals, and you’d be close to the mark on both counts.
OFP is a nonprofit organization that was formed about seven years ago with the specific purpose of empowering veterans and others with disabilities to live a quality life by teaching them to train their own dogs and to become well-trained service dog teams, at no cost to them. The OFP organization is the brainchild of Mary Cortani, whose background includes time in the military training dogs. Mary’s passion and hard work toward forming OFP resulted in being voted in the top 10 of CNN Heroes and for being recognized with the Central Coast Jefferson Award, a prestigious national recognition system honoring community and public volunteerism in America. The groups of dedicated volunteers and donated monies from various sources continue to fund day-to-day work which helps finance the commercial dog training and boarding operations.