First Annual Basketball Tip-Off Luncheon to Support TLCAD!

TLCAD board member, Colonel Marianne Waldrop, USMC Retired and Captain Chuck Schroeder, USN Retired,presented Coach Bob Knight with an honorary flag flown in Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Tender Loving Canines Assistance Dogs, Inc. (TLCAD) held its first annual College Basketball Tip-Off Luncheon, featuring guest speaker Bob Knight, at the Officers’ Club at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on October 28th. 300 basketball fans and military supporters came together to attend this exciting event. Coaches Steve Fisher of San Diego State and Bill Grier of the University of San Diego were honored speakers who spoke to the audience about their teams upcoming basketball seasons.

Before the event, Bob Knight personally spoke with 40 Marines in a lively and candid question and answer session, where he signed basketballs and took photos with the troops.  After lunch, Coach Knight captivated guests with his theory of basketball, relating lessons of the game to lessons in life. He graciously accepted the flag flown over the Craig Joint Theater Hospital at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan on September 5th, 2014 in appreciation by ARCENT Afghanistan Transition Team (A2T2), stating it was one of the most memorable gifts he had ever received. TLCAD President, Karen Shultz, then took the stage and explained TLCAD’s At Ease program and the impact custom-trained Service Dogs have on the lives of Wounded Warriors. She also announced TLCAD’s brand new partnership with the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, where inmates will be given the opportunity to better themselves and the community by learning to train Service Dogs for individuals with autism and Wounded Warriors.

Captain, U.S.Army (Ret) and At Ease Service Dog Gracie

The audience was then mesmerized by Captain, U.S.Army (Retired), Marlene Krpata’s unforgettable speech, telling her story of service, her visible and invisible wounds of war (being injured during her service in Iraq) and how her TLCAD Service Dog, Gracie, has transformed and continues to positively impact her life on her long journey toward healing.The fundraiser was a tremendous success and brought in over $40,000 for TLCAD’s programs that will produce more custom trained service dogs for individuals with autism and Wounded Warriors.