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Virginia War Memorial to Honor Military & Service Dogs At 4th Annual K-9 Veterans Day Celebration - Public Invited to See Military, Police and Rescue Dogs in Action

Virginia will commemorate K-9 Veterans Day on Saturday, March 11 from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond.

The 4th Annual K-9 Veterans Day Celebration, presented by Woodfin – Your Home Team, is a family-friendly event that honors the contributions of the heroic dogs who serve side-by-side with their human companions on the battlefield, here at home assisting police and law enforcement agencies, performing search and rescue missions, and providing companionship to military and civilian hospital patients.

Virginia Delegate Hyland “Buddy” Fowler of Hanover County and Virginia War Memorial Director Dr. Clay Mountcastle will kick off the Celebration with a special patriotic ceremony in the Heilman Amphitheater on the Memorial grounds.

Following the Ceremony, military and law enforcement K-9 units will perform demonstrations onsite. Scheduled to perform are:

• Fort Lee K-9 Military Working Dogs
• Marine Base Quantico Military Working Dogs
• Richmond Police Department K-9 Unit
• Virginia Capitol Police K-9s
• Hanover Hounds Search and Rescue Team K-9s
• VCU Medical Center Dogs on Call Therapy Dogs

In 2013, the Virginia General Assembly joined the legislatures of 13 other states in passing a resolution to annually designate March 13 as K-9 Veterans Day. This date was chosen as on this
day in 1942 U.S. Secretary of War Robert Patterson authorized the U.S. Army Quartermaster

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K-9 Veterans Day Celebration at Virginia War Memorial, Page 2

General to include dogs in the military effort to win World War II.

“The Virginia War Memorial is proud to co-host Virginia’s K-9 Veterans Day Celebration for the fourth consecutive year with the members of the Hanover Hounds Search and Rescue K-9s, said Dr. Clay Mountcastle, Director of the Virginia War Memorial. “The Memorial is a fitting venue to honor the service and sacrifice of our military, law enforcement, and rescue dogs whether they serve on the battlefield or in our communities.”

Mountcastle noted, “While the official date of K-9 Veterans Day is March 13, our celebration will be held on Saturday, March 11 so that families with schoolchildren can attend and see these amazing dogs in action.”

“This year, we are pleased to welcome Woodfin- Your Home Team as the presenting sponsor of the K-9 Veterans Day Celebration and FOX Richmond as our media sponsor,” Mountcastle said.

There is no admission charge for this event. For safety reasons, no personal pets are allowed on the Memorial grounds during the K-9 Veterans Day Celebration. Parking is also free at the Virginia War Memorial located at 621 South Belvidere Street in Richmond. For more information, please call 804.786.2060 or visit www.vawarmemorial.org.

About the Virginia War Memorial
The mission of the Virginia War Memorial is to Honor Veterans, Preserve History, Educate Youth and Inspire Patriotism in All. Dedicated in 1956, the Memorial includes the names of the
nearly 12,000 Virginia heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II, Korea,
Vietnam, the Persian Gulf and the Global War on Terrorism. The Virginia War Memorial is a division of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and serves as an integral part of its mission in support of all Virginians who served in our military.

The Memorial is located at 621 South Belvidere Street in Richmond and is open to the public seven days a week. For more details and a complete event schedule, call 804.786.2060 or go to www.vawarmemorial.org or facebook.com/virginiawarmemorial.

About the Virginia War Memorial Foundation

Founded in 2000, The Virginia War Memorial Foundation (VWMF) is the non-profit 501 (c) (3) corporation dedicated to the financial support of all of the educational outreach, patriotic programs, historical exhibits and documentary films of the Virginia War Memorial. Donations to the Foundation from individuals, corporations, military and veterans groups and other organizations may be tax-deductible and are encouraged and appreciated. For more information, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org.