Warrior Canine Connection to Celebrate Largest Class of Veteran Service Dog Teams with Virtual Commencement Ceremony

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 25, 2021

BOYDS, Maryland – Warrior Canine Connection will celebrate its 2021 Veteran Service Dog Team Graduation, its largest class to date, with a virtual commencement ceremony on Saturday, September 25. Family, friends, and WCC supporters can watch the program on WCC’s Facebook page.

The ceremony will feature a keynote address from Senator Elizabeth Dole, video introductions and announcements of each Veteran Service Dog Team, awards, and much more. The commencement ceremony will also pay honor to each of the namesake families; all WCC’s dogs are named after Veterans, both past and present.

“Honoring our graduates through our annual commencement ceremony is one of WCC’s most important traditions,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director, WCC. “Our staff, Veterans’ families, puppy parents, sponsors, volunteers, and so many others will share in the ceremonial “passing of the leash,” which signifies the official start of these powerful, life-changing, human-animal relationships.”

All the graduating service dogs will have completed WCC’s intensive, Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) training conducted by Warriors in recovery who learn to train mobility service dogs for fellow Warriors as a means of addressing their own symptoms of combat stress.

Pending changes in COVID-19 restrictions or guidelines, WCC will host an in-person, outdoor celebration at 12:30 p.m. at its Healing Quarters in Boyds, Maryland. Many of this year’s graduates, puppy parents, and volunteers will be in attendance.

Media interested in attending are asked to RSVP to Beth Bourgeois, WCC, at 719-216-3206 or beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org

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About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, and help in reintegrating back into their families and communities. For more information, visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.