A year ago, while visting DC to run the Marine Corp Memorial Marathon, I took the time to visit many of the memorials that honor our fallen soldiers of past wars. While doing this I had a life changing experience at the Vietnam Memorial. While walking along the wall of countless names, I came across a wheelchair-bound veteran who had located a specific date on the wall. He scrolled through the names until he stopped. At which point he leaned forward in his chair and pressed his forehead against the wall where his friends were engraved. He became inconsolable. Part of me wanted to confort him but I felt that this was something sacred betwen him and his fallen friends. It is something that jarred my soul, has never left me and I doubt ever will. 

I have chosen this charity because just because our veterans come home, it doesn't mean that they haven't taken the war home with them and unfortunately it still doesn't mean they will survive either. This charity rescues not only veterans but the dogs a well. All of the service dogs have been rescued. The dogs are trained to deal with the physical, mental, and emotional issues their veteran is living with. The suicide rate amongst veterans is astronomical. If running this event raises enough money to improve or extend the life of a veteran, it will be all worth it. Please join me in raising funds which will go towards services explained below.

K9s For Warriors is the nation’s largest provider of service dogs to military veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury and/or Military Sexual Trauma. The program is unique, comprehensive, and proven thanks to research by Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. We provide each warrior with a service canine, equipment, training, certification, seminars, legal instruction, vet care, housing, home cooked meals, unconditional love and listening, and a life-time of wrap-around services. In essence, we don’t just give each of our warriors a service dog, we give them the K9s Family.

The K9s program is 100% free for the veteran. We have our Warriors’ backs.