US Department of State, Safe Passage newsletter, Spring 2006, Vol. 1, Issue 8
Marshall Legacy Institute Promotes CHAMPS in Arizona and California
The Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI) took its CHildren Against Mines Program (CHAMPS) to Phoenix, Arizona, in February to promote the landmine issue and foster a spirit of global citizenship among local schoolchildren. The CHAMPS Team (accompanied by PM/WRA’s Jim Lawrence) visited seven schools, three Rotary Clubs, and five television stations in partnership with its corporate sponsor Qwest Communications. The students thoroughly enjoyed the mine detection dog demonstrations performed by Rosa, a 12-yr old Belgian Malinois who “sniffed out” landmines and saved lives in six countries from 1996-2004. With Qwest providing up to $10,000 in matching funds, the schoolchildren have nearly reached the CHAMPS-Arizona Campaign goal of $20,000 to sponsor their own lifesaving Arizona, who will join five highly trained canine friends (contributed by students throughout the U.S.) in Bosnia-Herzegovina this summer.
The CHAMPS Team also traveled to the La Jolla Country Day School in San Diego, where fifth graders organized a campaign to sponsor a dog named La Jolla. On March 18, MLI attended the Annual Conference of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) in Long Beach, California, where Rosa received the first ever “Hero Dog Award” presented by AAHA in its 36 year history. Many of the thousands of veterinarians who participated in the ceremony have offered to support MLI’s mine detection dog program to help make a better and safer world for all.