FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Winnipeg, Manitoba | October 12, 2023 – Manitoba Underdogs Rescue (MUR) learned this week that it has been named to the top two in the Animal, Wildlife and Marine Mammal Welfare category of the 2023 Landrover Defender Service Awards!
The top two were determined by online voting with the MUR community showing up in a BIG way to ensure that votes were cast to get the team where they are today.
Members of the MUR team will be flown to Texas in November for the final winner announcement. The 2023 Defender Service Awards will be awarded on November 11, at Destination Defender, a weekend’s celebration of the Defender lifestyle that will take place in Somerville, Texas from November 10-12.
With a prize of a fully customized Defender 130 and, $25,000 USD on the line, this prize would be a game changer for the organization. Featuring three rows of seating for up to eight volunteers, along with 88.9 cubic feet (2,516 liters) of load capacity, the Defender 130 will keep MUR team members safe in remote and rural locations even when winter throws its worst.
Jessica Hansen, Executive Director, Manitoba Underdogs Rescue: “It seems like a dream. The impact that this vehicle would have on our team, and on the communities that we serve, would be astronomical. Think of the animals that we would be able to help even in the worst blizzard conditions. They won’t have to wait in pain for any longer than absolutely needed. We would have a lot more positive outcomes. Lives would literally change.”
Kayla Ledohowski-Becker, General Manager, Jaguar Land Rover Winnipeg (Nominator): “Having previously collaborated with Manitoba Underdogs on a few initiatives both from a dealership and also from a personal team member perspective, we got to know what their organization represents. We got to know how they help serve the needs of Manitoba’s high-risk canine population, especially in communities without access to the resources for basic living needs and necessities, as well as their desire to grow their helping breadth and increase the scale of their programs to save more lives. We know that this Defender Service Award and custom-outfitted Defender would be an amazing asset that will assist them in continuing to achieve and expand these selfless goals.”
The second organization still vying for the prize opposite MUR is the Appalachian Wildlife Refuge in Candler, NC.
To learn more about the 2023 Defender Service Awards, please visit https://www.landroverusa.com/experiences/events-and-sponsorships/defender-service-awards/index.html.
Further Information:
Lindsay Gillanders
media@manitobaunderdogs.org