Former Pro Baseball Player Takes Swing At Veteran-Friendly Business

LAKELAND, FL — Wes Freeman, a former professional baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates, is swinging in a different direction this year, starting his own business in Lakeland with an emphasis on employing veterans.

Freeman and his business partners have opened the newest JDog Junk Removal & Hauling in Lakeland. The veteran-owned company with an emphasis on helping veterans and military families has more than 300 franchises in 33 states.

After retiring from the baseball league due to an injury, Freeman knew he wanted a path that fulfilled his passion to give back to his community and military veterans specifically.

His brother is a veteran and Freeman said he understands how important it is to support the veteran community.

Founded by veteran Jerry Flanagan and his wife, Tracy Flanagan in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, JDog Brands' mission is to play on the strengths of veterans, making the most of the leadership abilities and talents they developed while serving.

"JDog Brands spoke to me on a personal level,” Freeman said. “The brand encourages owners to be a big part of the communities they’re in and I love that. When I started looking at franchise opportunities, I knew that I didn’t want to pull the trigger and sign until I found a brand with a mission I could stand behind. With JDog, I found that. I’m able to help others around me while owning my own business."

He noted that the company's JDog Foundation donates to organizations dedicated to improving the lives of Veterans.

"I really love that JDog is centered around helping veterans. My brother is a veteran who is 100 percent disabled and the fact that I can give opportunities to veterans like my brother is just amazing to me," Freeman said.

There are 19 million military veterans in the U.S., 6.5 percent of whom are unemployed. Jerry Flanagan said veterans, particularly those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorders, often find it difficult to obtain work. He said JDog Brands was designed to specifically address this
problem by creating a business ownership opportunity tailor-made for those with military experience.

The new Lakeland franchise offers a full range of junk removal and hauling services for residential and commercial properties including those hard-to-get-rid-of items like refrigerators, mattresses, tires, televisions and hot tubs.

The company also offers whole-house interior disposal; basement, attic, garage and warehouse cleanouts; moving and storage services; and light demolition.

At the same time, the company is committed to sustainability. The franchises reuse, recycle, resell and re-purpose items whenever possible, keeping 60 to 80 percent of the items they haul away out of landfills.

To contact the Lakeland franchise, click here.