New leash on life: Service dog could change a lot for 12-year-old autistic Stanford boy

Such a skilled dog does not come cheap — it will cost 4 Paws an estimated $22,000 to train a companion for Nelson.

Martin said Nelson's family and friends need to raise $13,000 of that in order to make the service animal a reality.

To that end, McGuffey Sixth Grade Center and Stanford Elementary have both initiated efforts to raise money for Nelson. There are also T-shirts available for sale, the proceeds from which — close to $2.50 per shirt — go toward paying for Nelson's companion animal.

And a fundraising event is scheduled for 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday at L&N Depot in downtown Stanford. The event includes a bake sale, chili supper, karaoke, vendors and a silent auction.

Martin said if the fundraising to get Nelson his dog is successful, she would like to organize a similar effort every year for other children in the Stanford community with similar needs.

"This is life-changing for children," she said.

SO YOU KNOW

A special fundraising event is scheduled for 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday at the L&N Depot in downtown Stanford. Proceeds from the event, which includes a bake sale, chili supper, karaoke, vendors and a silent auction, will go toward the $13,000 in donations needed by the non-profit organization 4 Paws for Ability to train a service dog for Stanford 12-year-old Nelson Martin.

If you'd like to find out more, purchase a T-shirt in support of Nelson or make a donation, call Donna Martin at (606) 669-9213 or email her at donnamartin7467@att.net. You can also visit www.4pawsforability.org for information about the organization and visit www.4pawsforability.org/donate-now to contribute.