Powder River Examiner -

BILLINGS, Mont. – Dog Tag Buddies will host its first annual Celebrity Chef Gala in October, featuring an evening of fine dining with Andre Rush, as part of the organization's mission to provide service dogs for veterans.

"Having Chef Rush as part of this event really speaks to his commitment to helping other veterans, and this appearance is something that rarely happens in Montana," said DeeDe Baker, found and executive director of Dog Tag Buddies. "This event is as much about fundraising as it is about bringing awareness to the veterans we serve."

The event will kick off at 5 p.m. on October 1, 2022. Dog Tag Buddies Celebrity Chef Gala will take place at the Northern Hotel.

Rush is a retired Master Sergeant combat veteran, and began his military career as a reservist before switching to active Army service in July 1993. He served as the White House Executive Chef through four presidential administrations: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

Dog Tag Buddies and Rush are most similar in their advocacy for suicide prevention. While Dog Tag Buddies aims to help veterans struggling with hidden injuries and lower the number of veterans who die by suicide, Rush does 2,222 pushups each day to advocate for suicide prevention and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Rush will be working with the Northern staff to create a one-of-a-kind meal for the evening, and he will also serve as the key note speaker for the first annual Celebrity Chef Gala. The evening will include live and silent auctions, a gourmet meal and much more.

Single tickets are $150, and a full table can be purchased for $1,100. Proceeds will go towards Dog Tag Buddies mission of providing service dogs for veterans, which the organization does at no cost to the veteran.

Dog Tag Buddies is a non-profit organization that provides veterans with hidden and physical injuries with service dogs to improve their quality of life through training and ongoing support. Nearly all dogs that come through the program are rescue animals. Dog Tag Buddies began in Billings and now has additional training locations in Bozeman, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell, Missoula, Polson and the Highline region.

For more information, to apply for services, or to make a donation, visit dogtagbuddies .org.