GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — On Tuesday, the Grand Junction Lions Club held its 23rd Hometown Hero award ceremony.

This year's recipient was Debra Rapozo, who co-founded the nonprofit Collar of Duty in 2023.

"We pair rescues with veterans to then have them trained to become service dogs for those veterans. Most of the veterans we work with are ones that have PTSD," said Rapozo, president of Collar of Duty.

Gregg Palmer, chairman of the Hometown Hero committee, says they chose Rapozo because the work she does fills a huge unmet need.

"There are almost 20,000 veterans in the Valley and a lot of them could use this. We have a fabulous VA but they don't do dogs. So she has filled a definite need in our community," said Palmer.

Rapozo says her husband inspired her to start Collar of Duty

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