The CHAMPS Program and how it got started!

CHAMPS Founder:  Diana Enzi

The CHAMPS program was only a dream when Diana Enzi, wife of Senator Mike Enzi of Wyoming, heard the President of The Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI), Perry Baltimore, speaking at a function in Washington, D.C. 2003.  He spoke of a “pet” project of MLI’s they call the “Adopt-A-Dog” Program, and it gave Diana an idea. 

(pictured above L to R:  Qwest function on the hill Senator Mike Enzi hoding his grandson Trey, Diana Enzi, and mine-detection dog Rosa)

She explained later to Mr. Baltimore that she’d been a teacher and Principal in Wyoming before they’d moved to Washington, D.C.  She said that she’d been looking for a way to introduce a global issue to the students of Wyoming in a way they could understand, and that the “Adopt-A-Dog” program was the perfect way to do it.

Diana thought that if every one of the 80,000 school aged children in Wyoming donated a quarter they would raise the $20,000 to sponsor their own dog.  She thought if a team could be put together, that would travel to schools in Wyoming to teach the children about landmines and how dogs are being used to find them, the children would want to help out!

And she was right.  In
February 2004, after a
successful campaign with more than $20,000 raised, Wyoming was sent to Sri Lanka, a gift from the children of Wyoming to the children of Sri Lanka.  And, the CHAMPS Program was born!