Va. Woman Wins Ikea Sabbatical

January 31, 2011  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on February 1, 2011

Furniture retail giant Ikea awarded Kyria Henry of Round Hill, Va., a year-long sabbatical for her paws4vets program through its Life Improvement Sabbatical project.

Paws4vets trains and pairs service dogs with veterans needing assistance.

Henry won the sabbatical, worth $100,000, after a month-long online public vote. She will share her experience over the course of the year on the Life Improvement Web site. Additionally, IKEA is donating $46,844 to Save the Children's U.S. programs, $1 for every vote cast in the contest.
 
"We commend all who participated in this contest, as it has been truly touching to see the passion and commitment so many have to improve the lives of others," said Leontyne Green, marketing manager, IKEA North America. "We look forward to helping Kyria to advance her endeavor and to share her story with the world to inspire others."
 
In 1999, at just 12 years old, Henry founded paws4people foundation, and later in 2008, the paws4vets program. The contest prize will bring more resources to the program, providing psychiatric service dogs to assist retired and active-duty military veterans as a tool to ease emotional, physical and psychological traumas and help them return to civilian life.
 
"I am truly humbled by the voters' response to paws4vets in the Life Improvement Sabbatical Contest," said Henry. "The cause is near and dear to my heart and this prize will help the organization extend our reach to more of those who could benefit from our programs."
 
In addition the year-long sabbatical, Henry will receive a trip to a spa resort in Phoenix, Ariz., to participate in a one-hour life coaching session with O, The Oprah Magazine's life coach Dr. Martha Beck. She also will be featured in advertorials in the April and July issues of O, The Oprah Magazine. The public can also continue to follow Ms. Henry throughout the year as her project is chronicled on thelifeimprovementproject.com.
 
IKEA also awarded a $1,000 IKEA gift card prize to the four finalists in the contest: LaJuana Moser, California City, Calif., of bags4kids, a program giving personal care products, toys and other necessities to foster children in California; Ralph Johnson, Hempstead, N.Y., a science teacher helping to bring the wonders of science to students in New York communities; Philip Filner, Lutherville, Md., a retired scientist looking to renovate an unused greenhouse to help Baltimore's Northwestern High School's students; and Elizabeth Woods, Waxhaw, N.C., of Soul Windows, a support group and online community of resources, forums and retreats for others experiencing loss.