Why I'm Walking
I'm a Reserve Deputy with the Franklin County, Idaho Sheriff's Office, and right now our department is trying to stand up its very first K-9 unit.
Sheriff Cuyler Stoker has been clear about what the dog is for: yes, drug detection — fentanyl and meth are showing up in our county like they're showing up everywhere — but also, just as importantly, community. He's said he wants to take the dog into elementary schools and have the kids meet it. Build trust early. That's the kind of policing I signed up to support.
The trouble is dogs and training aren't free. A trained narcotics K-9 plus the handler's certification course plus the vehicle outfit runs roughly $25,000–$45,000 to get started, plus ongoing costs. So I'm doing the only thing I know how to do that might move the needle: putting one foot in front of the other for as long as I can.
Here's how the pledge works: you commit a dollar amount per mile. You don't pay anything yet. I walk, you watch the updates roll in from my phone, and when I'm done I'll send you a personal link with your tally and the official donation page for the K-9 fund. If I make 73 miles and you pledged $2/mi, that's $146. If I make all 100, that's $200. If I tap out at mile 12, that's $24. Pledge what feels right — every dollar helps the dog.