This November, MLI's K-9 Ambassador Rico was excited to join MLI's Educational Programs Director, Anne Wooleyhand and CHAMPS (Children Against Mines Program) Manager, Tamara Klingsheim for a week-long adventure. The team headed north to visit schools, organizations, and landmarks in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Greenwich, Connecticut.
Day 1 - November 11, 2024
Rico and the team spent Veteran's Day touring the USS Battleship New Jersey and visiting with veterans on the ship. This ship is the most highly decorated in Navy history. It was a true honor for the team to spend time on this incredible battleship.
Day 2 - November 12, 2024
Rico received a very warm welcome at the John Moffet School in Philadephia! The 5th-grade students and teachers learned about Bosnia and Herzegovina before watching Rico demonstrate his sniffing skills. Rico also showed how loud he could bark and how he shakes hands. The awesome students made signs welcoming Rico and were a great audience. MLI is very grateful to CHAMPS teacher Colleen Fosbenner for organizing the MLI visit.
Rico visited Jay Cooke School in Philadelphia where he was greeted by 2nd and 6th graders. The students learned about the CHAMPS program and how they can get involved. Surprise guest Nick Towles, now 25 years old, shared his experiences with CHAMPS and announced that he will be volunteering as a CHAMPS mentor. Nick, a former student at Jay Cooke, participated in the campaign at Wister Elementary to sponsor MDD Little Swoop along with the Philadelphia Eagles years ago. He also had the opportunity to travel to Sri Lanka on a CHAMPS donor trip. MLI is grateful to CHAMPS teacher Rebecca Long for organizing our visit to Jay Cooke School.
After his final presentation in Philadelphia, Rico and the team took to the road for the four-hour drive to Greenwich, Connecticut. They arrived just in time to meet with Cub Scout Pack - American Legion Post 29. The scouts asked great questions, and MLI is thankful to Scout Master, Carl Marinaccio, for welcoming the team to the scout meeting.
Day 3 - November 13, 2024
Rico visited 3rd graders at Greenwich Country Day School in Connecticut where he demonstrated his sniffing skills after a presentation about how Rico went from puppy to his current role as K9 Ambassador. The presentation focused on his training, work, and retirement. Jen Donnalley did a great job organizing the visit, and MLI is grateful for her efforts.
Julie Cofone organized a visit for the CHAMPS team to North Mianus School where 5th graders welcomed Rico, Tamara, and Anne for a presentation about Bosnia and Herzegovina. Rico demonstrated his sniffing skills and enjoyed some love from the kids. It was an honor to have long-time CHAMPS supporter, Betsy Parkinson, and Rotary Club Member, Sally Parris, attend the presentation.
Following our school appearances, there was time to visit a couple of local sites. Greenwich Town Hall had a field of flags in honor of Veteran's Day which was beautiful. Following a stop there, the team made a stop at the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) Headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.
Day 4 - November 14, 2024
Rico and the team visited Central Middle School in Greenwich where 7th grade students learned how puppies become mine detection dogs. Following a demonstration of Rico's sniffing skills, the students asked great questions and showed Rico their love through limitless pets and "good boys". Thank you to Jaimee Previs for organizing the team's visit to the school.
Rico enjoyed another great visit with his friends at Hill House Senior Living in Riverside, Connecticut. It was so much fun to visit with the group of senior residents, and of course, they loved Rico. Thank you to Carole McIvor and Lisa Crowley for welcoming the MLI team to Hill House again this year.
Rico made a special visit to the Greenwich September 11th Memorial in Cos Cob Park. The 12' towers overlook the historic Indian Harbor. The two clear glass towers boast an American flag motif, and each stripe contains the names of people with ties to Greenwich who were lost in the towers. In the center of the memorial are compass points facing Washington DC, the World Trade Center Site, and Shanksville, PA.
Rico and friends then headed to Fort Stamford, an archaeological remnant of a military earthworks erected during the American Revolutionary War. The fort was built as part of a ring of defenses to defend the New England Colonies from attacks. The fort is located in the Goodbody Garden. It was created in the early 1900s and purchased by the city of Stamford in 1972.
Day 5 - November 15, 2024
The visit to Brunswick Lower Middle School for 3rd and 4th graders was very special, as students from The Brunswick School sponsored MDD Rico "Cosby" in 2014. The name, Cosby, was given to Rico as his donor name in memory of a beloved teacher at the school. How awesome it was for these young students to meet the hero dog their school sponsored and to learn about the lives he saved and the land that was cleared because of his heroic sniffing. Thank you to Courtney Spada for arranging the MLI team visit.
The final school appearance of the trip took the team to Eagle Hill School in Greenwich, Connecticut. Middle School students asked great questions about how Rico became a mine detection dog and then a K9 Ambassador. Each student took time to give Rico a little pet.
Thank you to the students, teachers, and friends for welcoming Rico, Anne, and Tamara! Your support helps Rico and the team forward MLI's important humanitarian efforts to, one day, create a mine-free world! Until next time. 👋