“When you care, you demonstrate human compassion and empathy… When you care enough to act, you change the world,” said Bill Mors, Lt. Ret., a WWII Navy veteran who was assigned to the 31st Special Naval Construction Battalion, also known as the Seabees. Mors cared enough to generously leave a portion of his estate to fund an endowment for the Military Animal Project, a local nonprofit organization that serves veterans in Ventura County and beyond by offering animal support services that provide comforting warmth and friendship to those who have honorably served our country and who experience post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges.
Under the wings of authentic WWII planes, the Ventura County-based charity celebrated its 10-year anniversary in October at “Tails of Valor: Honoring. Remembering. Celebrating, the Greatest Generation,” at the Commemorative Air Force Museum in Camarillo. The festive event featured Bob Hope impersonator Bill Johnson, USO-style singers The Satin Dollz,and a nine-piece swing band.
The event honored Mors and extended gratitude for his large endowment that singlehandedly empowered the nonprofit to continue—and even expand—its therapeutic equine and dog programs during the pandemic.
“We had no idea when Mr. Mors passed on January 16, 2021, that his very generous donation would not only help sustain Military Animal Project, but also would enable us to expand our programs with a new Nevada chapter,” said Co-founder and President Mardu Lydick. “The timing of his generous donation was almost precision as we were sadly beginning to close MAP due to the pandemic. Mr. Mors helped us to carry on our mission and also to buy a 22-acre property in Reno, a property that provides veterans a place to heal through professionally trained emotional support or physical, psychiatric service dogs, our Equine Buddies Program, certified/insured therapy dogs and our new veteran pet support services. Such treatment modalities have proven effective in helping veterans who suffer from both physical and invisible wounds of war,” Lydick noted.
In its laudatory obituary celebrating Mors’ life, the Ventura County Star recounted that after the war, he remained in the Naval Reserves until 1984 and that the veterans who served our country “remained forever dear” to him.
“We have never charged the veterans whom we serve for our programs. Mors’ donation has helped us to carry on in Ventura County, but also to transport veterans from California, Nevada and beyond so that they can enjoy our new Reno property,” Lydick said. “He has empowered our organization to embark on a massive healing journey.” It’s a journey that involves providing our nation’s warriors a means to heal while providing a new home with purpose for rescue shelter dogs.
“Bob Horrell, MAP co-founder/executive director, is a Vietnam War Navy combat veteran who wrote our treatment methodologies for veterans and who is gifted with the skill of behaviorally assessing dogs in a rescue shelter situation, which itself can be stressful,” Lydick explained, adding that the organization’s vision includes establishing a dog training facility and a small “Veterans Village” to comfortably house participants.
Learn more at MilitaryAnimalProject.com.