“Sheep Dogs” and Supporters Help Veterans, First Responders Thrive

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Colleen Vytlacil. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light. 

Content Warning: Points of Light is proud to share the following uplifting and inspiring story. However, we acknowledge that a small portion mentions suicide and may be difficult for some readers. We encourage you to please care for your own wellbeing above all.   

Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) is a national organization based in Rogers, Arkansas and founded by former Marine Sergeant-Major Lance Nutt after watching his brothers in arms struggle to transition back to civilian life. Many soldiers and first responders struggle with PTSD, depression, isolation and addiction, as well as any number of debilitating physical conditions. According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, over 6,000 veterans commit suicide every year and twice as many First Responders die by suicide than while on duty. 

Why “Sheep Dog”? By their nature, veterans and first responders are helpers. These “Sheep Dogs” have a mission and desire to help people in their time of need and an idea was born to harness this innate desire to help others as a way to help them not just survive but to thrive.   

One of the key tenets of SDIA is harnessing the veterans and first responders’ innate desire to help by encouraging participation in disaster relief. Today SDIA has crisis response teams based all over the country to provide services on the ground during and after natural disasters and other emergencies. Today, DRMs (Disaster Relief Missions) is one of three distinct programs designed to support and improve the lives of veterans and first responders in the United States.

The second program, Outdoor Adventure, is designed to get Sheep Dogs more active, challenge them mentally and physically, provide opportunities to engage others with similar backgrounds and experience, and reintroduce them to community and adventure. Participants enjoy activities such as kayaking, snowmobiling, scuba diving and so on. One of the hallmarks of this program is an annual hike to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro.   

The third program is the Warrior PATHH training program, a week-long intensive program focused on mental wellbeing and post-traumatic growth. SDIA’s mottoes are “Helping is Healing” and “Helping Others is a Way of Life”. 

Colleen Vytlacil has been a passionate volunteer with SDIA since 2020. 

What inspires you to volunteer? 

I became aware of Sheep Dog Impact Assistance during COVID. My son is an Army veteran who lives with PTSD and has addiction issues. He had visited the Caribbean and ended up working there as a scuba instructor. When COVID-19 hit, he was locked down on a small island and began drinking heavily, and his mental health spiraled down. It took a lot to get him off the island. I reached out to Sergeant-Major Lance Nutt for help. I was expecting a list of resources, but he went one step further: he took a team of people to the island to engage my son and encourage him to come home from the island!  

They were initially unsuccessful as my son dug in his heels and refused to leave. Ultimately he did leave the island and engaged with SDIA while working on his sobriety. While he was on the island and I was working to get him home, I saw the great work SDIA was doing and not just for veterans and first responders, but for their families. My son continues his struggle with addiction, but he knows he has a community and resources in SDIA when he’s ready to become a healthier version of himself. While I can’t help my son directly, I can support other people and that is why I am part of SDIA. 

Tell us about your volunteer role with Sheep Dog Impact Assistance. 

I am involved in planning for SDIA fundraising events including the Turkey Trot for Heroes 5K, and the Heroes Gala. As part of the planning team, I help acquire sponsors and silent auction items, and set up and clean up after the event. The Heroes Gala hosts around 500 people and it’s a huge fundraiser for us. In 2023, the event raised over $200,000.    

Fundraising is my primary function, but I do more. In May I went to Dallas for three days to partner with Carry the Load, a nonprofit that also supports veterans. They dedicate the entire month of May to fundraising and it culminates on Memorial Day with a multi-day event that draws 15 to 20,000 people. SDIA volunteers managed the meal station for the Carry the Load event volunteers throughout the course of the weekend.   

Bentonville, Arkansas also has a week-long festival to honor our veterans. At the end of the week, we host an Airplane Haul at the local airport and people build teams to pull airplanes across the tarmac. This event puts the “fun” in fundraising, and the winners get serious bragging rights! The Airplane Haul coincides with the swearing-in of young people who are joining the military, which is really cool to watch.    

Recently, the Bentonville area experienced seven large tornadoes throughout our area and we immediately deployed our local Disaster Relief team to help the community. This coming Monday, my husband and I will be joining SDIA to help with ongoing post-tornado cleanup. 

What are your long-term goals? 

I hope to always be plugged in with a donor management/donor development role with SDIA. I feel that this is where I add the most value to the organization. Right now we are in the “off” season for fundraising but once we get closer to the fall fundraisers like the Turkey Trot, I’ll be talking about SDIA nonstop to prospective and current donors!   

I would love to help drive some strategic planning for fundraising initiatives by developing plans, budgets and actively putting together a path to secure those donations.   

I’m also an occasional “connector.” I try to find others with talent and similar interests and connect them so that they can add value to the organization. This lets everyone involved play to their strengths. 

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work? 

I was named Sheep Dog’s Volunteer of the Year for 2023 but that’s not why I do it. The most rewarding part has been watching the personal growth and recovery of some of the people I’ve met through the organization. I love watching them evolve into the best version of themselves. 

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer? 

Everybody has trauma. Everybody. It takes a community to successfully help people process and grow from their trauma. The key deliverable of the Warrior PATHH program is to create post-traumatic growth. There’s no room for judgment in what we do, and there is always room for healing. SDIA celebrates the diversity among our community as well as the diversity inherent in the military and first-responder community. 

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about? 

Helping each other is what feeds us as humans. At some point we all need help from our community. A lot of people are busy and their lives are full so they don’t have much time to volunteer, but I am 59 and retired and volunteering has been one of the most fulfilling things I’ve been able to do. Everyone should get involved in any way they can. 

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering? 

Find your niche. Find where you add value and lean in there. Use your energy well by doing what you do well. 

What do you want people to learn from your story? 

Plugging in and volunteering can be a lot of fun and rewarding! I’ve gone snowmobiling in Yellowstone and I’ve been out to the ranch with our “Sheep Dogs” (“Sheep Dogs” are active or former military or first responders and to be clear, I am not a Sheep Dog!) There is a lot of fun in addition to a lot of rewarding work! 

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Colleen? Find local volunteer opportunities.