Page 50 - AmericasMart: Market Magazine July 2018

Ever Ellis gives wounded veterans Happy Tails
After 11 years of service in the U.S. Army, Lesley’s life changed overnight. One day she was serving in Bosnia, the next she was in Walter Reed Hospital undergoing emergency surgery for leg amputation. Her recovery involved 20 separate surgeries and the need to learn to walk again. The soldier felt discouraged by
the road ahead. Then Isaac entered the picture—and changed everything.
The handsome shelter pooch had just completed training of his own to become a service dog in Canines for Veterans.
“The first time I saw Isaac, I felt like 38 |
a Christmas tree being turned on,” recalls Lesley. “We bonded instantaneously, and we’ve been inseparable. He gives me the confidence and freedom to get through each day and the will to walk again.”
Inspired by stories like Lesley’s, Ever Ellis, a new giftable goods company that debuted at AmericasMart in January, designed a collection of special caps in gray, navy and pink, featuring a paw print flag logo. Ten percent of the proceeds will be donated to Canines for Veterans, a 401(3)(c) charity with a platinum ranking by GuideStar, the world’s largest non-profit information source. Each cap features a gift tag that tells the story of a veteran with
a disability and how their canine companion is helping them recover.
“When vetting charities, this one stood out,” says Ever Ellis Brand Manager Aimee Dodd. The community relations director at Canines for Veterans has
a personal bond with every person who receives a dog and was able to convey the struggles recipients face, along with how the animal changed his or her life. The North Carolina-based organization not only revitalizes wounded and injured veterans; they also rescue shelter dogs.
Dodd explains that everyone in her office has an “insane love of animals. Something spoke to us, and we all felt we could
stand behind this cause.” Even more, the stories give retail customers a personal connection to the journey of those who will benefit from the organization.
“We had a vision to create a company by retailers for retailers,” said Dodd, who operates Ever Ellis, a new line from Transpac. Dodd previously owned a gift shop and understands the importance
of building connections with customers. The stories and the charity give retailers
a way to do that by offering a gift item that has even greater meaning. Each year a new charity will be selected based on nominations from retailers who gather suggestions from their customers, further enhancing their bonds. “It adds extra significance,” she says, “to the spirit
of gifting.”