CARS AND K9S at Danville NAPA Brings Hope for Veterans, Donations, Passion for Racing Cars

Despite Saturday (April 19th) weather being a bit on the wet side, the crowds came to the Danville NAPA at 303 North Gilbert to learn about what Mission K9 Warrior does in helping combat Veterans to be paired with highly trained service K9s.  Danville NAPA owner Gary Knight said it was wonderful to help share the message with this special fundraiser.

AUDIO: I think it’s a wonderful program.  With the guys being down here today, I’ve learned a lot.  There’s a lot of Veterans that come, and they need some support.

Knight also said having the dirt track race cars at this CARS AND K9S event certainly brought back memories for him.  Now, they race on dirt from Farmer City to Charleston and elsewhere, but he recalls the Danville days.

AUDIO: I saw all these cars lined up and I go “wow, this is amazing.”  I used to go out to the Vermilion County track, and what a great evening it was.

Saturday’s CARS AND K9S at the Danville Napa was a fundraiser for the Mission K9 Warrior program.  In the middle picture, program founder Dave Hughes (right) poses with a service K9 currently in training.  In the final picture, D102’s Tommy B chats with Mission K9 Warrior Chairman Neal Stephens (right).

Mission K9 Warrior founder Dave Hughes says getting this program going through American Legion Post 203 in Georgetown was a key moment.  And to this day, it takes investment to get these highly trained dogs from their source, trainer Jake Skillett in Brownsburg, Indiana.

AUDIO: I’ve never been one to sit around and just wish somebody would do something.  I brought an idea to my American Legion Post; we’re over 30-some dogs now.  And these dogs are very expensive; they can be $15,000 to sky’s the limit.

Getting back to the racing cars, NAPA Director of Outside Sales Derrick Hufford said that part of the attraction worked out beautifully, leading to more people learning about Mission K9 Warrior.

AUDIO: What a lot of people don’t know is all the people that are actually in the community still racing.  (A lot of people learning here) There’s a lot of people asking questions, and that’s what this was all about.

We also connected with NAPA Operations Manager Brian Tallman, and Mission K9 Warrior Chairman Neal Stephens.

Audio Player

AUDIO: (Brian) Influx of people coming in; Mission K9 Warrior, they’re educating them, giving them information; telling them why they do, what they do, how they do.  (Neal) We’ve been able to get the word out of how to support a Veteran, the process of getting one of our dogs; as well as just talking to folks about what service dogs do.

You can learn more by going to missionk9warrior.org, or calling 217-601-3184.  And don’t forget about their RIDE TO THRIVE motorcycle ride fundraiser, set for 9 AM; Saturday, May 3rd.  It starts at Andrae’s Harley Davidson in Champaign, and ends in Georgetown at American Legion Post 203.