As your incoming LA5 President, I want to invite you to a very special meeting on May 8th. Come learn about our unique Proposed President’s Project for our 2026-2027 year.
An average of 18 veterans lose their lives to suicide every day in the United States. Also, every day 1000 dogs are euthanized in animal shelters across this country.
In our 2026-2027 year, LA5 will literally be saving two lives.
Lesley Brog is the founder of Wags & Walks, a non-profit based here in Los Angeles that has rescued more than 18,000 dogs since 2011. “Wags” exists to give every dog a real chance. They welcome medical dogs, bully breeds, mamas and litters and pups who might otherwise be passed over, choosing dogs based on need and its ability to help them thrive.
Graham and Kyrié Bloem are the Co-Founders of Shelter to Soldier, a California non-profit that adopts dogs from local shelters and trains them to become psychiatric service dogs for veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury or Military Sexual Trauma. Their program also places Emotional Support Animals with active-duty military, veterans, Gold Star Families and first responders.
In our 2026-2027 year, LA5 hopes to partner with Wags & Walks as they find a dog to go through the training program at Shelter to Soldier so that it can be paired with a veteran. As part of the proposed Presidents Project, LA5 will be sponsoring the cost for this dog to be trained and placed. Throughout our year, we will follow the story of the dog’s selection through their training to being paired with a veteran. We will get to know both of them all the way through to their graduation ceremony.
As your incoming President, I invite you to come on May 8th to meet Lesley, Graham and Kyrié. They will talk about their amazing organizations and share details on this incredible journey we are about to go on with them. This is going to be a very special project and I look forward to sharing it with you when I see you on May 8th!
Shelter to Soldier is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in San Diego, California, dedicated to “Saving Lives, Two at a Time™”.
They adopt dogs from local shelters and train them to become psychiatric service dogs for veterans and first responders at no cost to the recipient.
