Jazz Brunch 2023

The Pensacola Country Club hosted the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra’s Jazz Brunch on April 16. Marte Picker PSO Event Chair began the morning with amazing and talented musicians. Tate High School String Quintet, directed by Catherine McConnell, greeted guests as they entered, and a featured performance from New York’s Ike Sturm + HEART entertained guests during brunch. During this celebration of music, Dana and Milton Usry, who serve as honorary chairs, recognized the long-term support of our community and PSO. The Jazz Brunch was held to support Beyond the Stage, a new event created to raise funds in support of PSO’s community engagement and music education initiatives. The Pensacola Symphony Orchestra and Emcee Dan Shugart thanked everyone for their generosity and support of the Jazz Brunch. Additionally, it was noted the event was a great success, and provides for meaningful music experiences in our community.

Interview with Debbie Johnson, President and Founder K9s United

photos provided by K9s United

What is K9s United?

K9s United is a 501(c)(3) nonpro t committed to supporting K-9 law enforcement of cers who detect, protect, and serve our communities by giving them the necessary equipment, amenities and quality of life during their service, as well as memorializing those who give the ultimate sacri ce.

How did this organization come about? / What is your role and how did you get involved with K9s United?

When news broke that a eeing suspect murdered K-9 Baron on October 7, 2014, I had never experienced something that laid so heavy on my heart. I attended K-9 Baron’s funeral, made a donation, but still I felt moved to do more. To educate myself, I met with my local K-9 Unit and attended their Civilian Law Enforcement Academy. It was during my ride along class with a K-9 handler that I learned that the K-9 unit is one of the most expensive units within an agency and their needs aren’t always met due to budgetary constraints. So, in June 2015, I founded K9s United with the mission to help K-9 units nationwide receive the tools and resources they need to bring their furry and human of cers home safe.

What impact does K9s United have on the community?

K9s United positively impacts the local community by providing free life-saving trainings, seminars, and equipment to law enforcement and EMS agencies, allowing the units to safely protect the community and care for K-9 of cers.

Our EMS trainings coach EMS professionals and K-9 handlers on all K-9 protocols for when unexpected injuries occur. This training includes combat injuries, treatment protocols, hemorrhage control, airway management, prevention and treatment of shock, wound management, movement techniques, hypo/hyperthermia, burns, poisoning, snake bites and bloat, among other life-saving techniques K-9s may require in a moment’s notice.

Our training seminars are for K-9 handlers and teach human detection such as tracking, trailing, area and building searches; criminal apprehension techniques and scenario-based training; odor and narcotics/explosive detection; along with basic and advanced obedience training. We also extend an invite on the nal day of the seminars to local EMS professionals to provide a rst-aid crash course.

What are some future goals?

Our main goal is always to assist and provide for K-9s who protect and serve our communities. We’ve been able to do this thanks to our monthly K9 Corps supporters, online store sales, annual events, and generous donors; but the need is tremendous and to help more K-9 of cers we must raise additional funds. This year, we have a goal to pre-sell 3,000 K9s United Florida specialty license plates which will provide additional annual funds for our mission and honor our voiceless K-9 of cers. We are half-way to our goal with nearly 1,600 purchased. If readers are interested in purchasing a license plate, please visit K9sUnited.org.

In 2019 we helped to pass Senate Bill 96, which creates harsher penalties for those who harm a working K-9. The legislation makes killing a K-9 of cer a second-degree felony, triples the maximum jail sentence to 15 years and raises the ne to $15,000. We also recently passed legislation that allows for injured working dogs to be transported by emergency vehicles in the state of Florida. Now, we’re working to pass this bill federally to help dogs nationwide.

What challenges does your organization face?

Our biggest challenge is fundraising. We receive lists of needs from K-9 units nationwide and we must ask them to prioritize their needs because the items are costly, and funds are limited. We also face the challenge of nding new donors. We are well known by our law enforcement family, but we want civilians to understand the dire need to support our K-9 of cers.

What events does your organization host? Are any open to the public?

We host a fully remote Fallen K-9 Virtual Run each year on Sept. 1 to honor all fallen K-9s and we will host a second 9K for K9s in October in Central Florida. K9s United also hosts an annual K-9 Competition that brings Florida’s K-9 of cers together to compete and show off their skills, allowing bystanders to observe and better understand what these dogs do. For current event information please visit, www.k9sunited.org/events.

What would you like our readers to know about K9s United?

I simply want readers to know about K9s United and what we are doing to help K-9s and their handlers.

By supporting K9s United with a donation or by purchasing our specialty license plate, you are helping these incredible working dogs by allowing us to either provide the necessary training they seek or speci c equipment to keep them safe, such as bullet proof vests, heat alarms and door poppers.

How can someone get involved and/or support your nonprofit?

K9 Corps is one fantastic way to support with a monthly donation. By joining K9 Corps you will also join an inspiring group of supporters who have a passion for supporting K9 heroes and as a member of K9 Corps, you become a close part of our family and will have a direct impact on ensuring the success of the K9s United vision.

Florida drivers also have one of the most unique ways to get involved via our specialty license plate. For each plate sold, $25 will be donated to K9s United to support our mission to educate, train and provide vital equipment and services to K9s who protect and serve their communities.

We also offer an online shop for those interested in purchasing a t-shirt, travel thermos, dog bandana or coffee mug, in support of K9s United. Every dollar donated to K9s United supports the nonpro t’s mission to educate, train and provide vital equipment and services to K-9 teams. For more information please visit, k9sunited.org.