Big Frog Franchisees Create Lifetime Connection with Michigan War Dog Memorial

When Linda and Craig Suter began their franchise search, they were looking for something that would empower them to give back to their community. Throughout the discovery process with Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More, they could see how the company’s philanthropic priorities aligned with their own. The Suters began to envision what the future of giving back could look like with Big Frog ownership. Then, within a month of opening their business, they learned of a huge opportunity to do just that.

Shortly after their 2018 opening, the pair came across a post in a local Facebook group. Someone had vandalized the Michigan War Dog Memorial, one of the few memorials for military working dogs nationwide. Leaders of The Michigan War Dog Memorial Inc., the organization that supports the development and maintenance of the memorial site itself, were looking for support to invest in a surveillance system. For the Suters, a Big Frog t-shirt fundraiser seemed like a perfect solution.

“Craig reached out and asked if they would let us do a fundraiser,” Linda said. “It was about a week or two long, but for that period, we donated 100% of the proceeds to the memorial. It ended up being around $1,000, and that really cemented our relationship with them.”

Now, six years later, the pair continues to produce all the Michigan War Dog Memorial’s merchandise and donates 50% of every purchase back to the organization.

“They are very near and dear to us,” Linda said. “They’ve become true friends. It’s such an amazing organization, and we love partnering with them.”

The Michigan War Dog Memorial Honors Heroes from Across the Country

While the memorial itself is in South Lyon, Michigan, the Suters explained that military working dogs from across the country are recognized in it.

“This is a unique situation in that there are only a couple of these memorials throughout the country,” Craig said. “Other people have tried, but it’s difficult to get the necessary paperwork completed. This site was an old pet cemetery, so they were able to expand it from there. The original cemetery is still there, in the very back, but it has turned into something phenomenal. They get requests from Michigan and beyond because there aren’t many options.”

“When these handlers have to bury their service animals, it’s definitely like burying a family member,” said Linda.

“One of the added benefits of having a dog is, at night, when you’re by yourself in your hutch, you can talk to your dog. You can hold your dog … You have somebody to hold on to,” Phil Weitlauf, founder and president of Michigan War Dog Memorial, said in a video. “It gives you a feeling of maybe being at home and having your pet. You can tell your dog anything you want, and they will never repeat it … The bonding between a handler and his dog is [incredible].”

Handlers can bring their military working dogs to the memorial for an official burial ceremony, complete with military honors. Rather than a 21-gun salute, the organization has a seven-dog “howling team” that howls for 21 seconds to provide each military working dog a proper send-off. Of the 73 burials conducted by Michigan War Dog Memorial, Big Frog Brighton has fully funded nearly a dozen of them through its fundraising efforts.  

In addition to the ceremonies conducted nearly every weekend throughout the summer, Michigan War Dog Memorial has also created a Path of Honor and a memorial wall reminiscent of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The Suters’ Ongoing Support Through Big Frog

“The memorial site is a complete community effort. It was overgrown and run-down, and people came and worked for weeks to get it started,” Linda said. “Any time it needs landscaping or new signs, someone steps up. It’s nice to be a part of that community support.”

The Suters continue to host an online store as the sole merchandise supplier for the memorial, and they continue to donate 50% of each sale back to the organization for its continued development. To date, they have donated nearly $10,000, and these contributions have played a major role in supporting the memorial’s continued services.

“They recently started offering burial ceremonies for service horses; that’s just another way the memorial has grown by leaps and bounds,” Craig said.

“We didn’t know, in the beginning, how this was going to grow or blossom. It was just so close to our hearts,” Linda said. “We’re a small part of it, but it does make us feel good. Every time we see something new that they’re doing, we know that we’re contributing a little bit to making that happen.”

ABOUT BIG FROG CUSTOM T-SHIRTS & MORE:

Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Dunedin, Florida, Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More, Inc. is an international franchise system with over 75 independently owned and operated stores across North America. They specialize in Direct-to-Garment (DTG) and Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing, as well as offering a wide range of other custom apparel decorating services. They provide free design help, low minimums, no art/setup fees, and fast turnaround. Find a store at BIGFROG.COM. For U.S. franchise opportunities, visit BIGFROGFRANCHISE.COM and Big Frog on YouTube. For Canadian franchise opportunities, visit BIGFROG.CA.