An Inver Grove Heights couple has set up a Christmas lights display and a Santa Claus meet-and-greet for their second annual fundraiser.
Ed and Dana Abrahamson co-own the nonprofit Soldiers 6, which raises money to buy service dogs for military veterans and retired police officers.
Ed Abrahamson, a veteran and retired police sergeant, has dealt with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, fibromyalgia and chronic pain since returning from deployment to Iraq in 1992. After a California-based nonprofit called Rebuilding Warriors gave Abrahamson a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois in May of 2015, the couple decided to “pay it forward.”
The Abrahamsons kicked off their fundraiser Dec. 9.
Last year’s event brought in $6,500, which the two hope to surpass this year.
Soldiers 6 — the “6” is Army-speak for “back,” which Ed Abrahamson said “we have” — has fitted two people with service pups and will award a third in January. The dogs cost $6,000 to $10,000.
Visitors can bring monetary donations for Soldiers 6 or food for a local food pantry, and can have their photograph taken with Santa from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 15 through Dec. 18 and Dec. 21 through Dec. 23.
The Abrahamsons’ home is at 8238 Copland Way in Inver Grove Heights.