Kansas City Chiefs fans may have noticed the Canine Companions logo during Sunday’s game against the Bengals.
The logo, which was featured on a pair of custom-made cleats, was shown as part of the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats program, which raises money for non-profit organizations selected by individual players.
Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis chose to support Canine Companions after meeting first-grader and program graduate Patrick and his service dog, Julio.
Patrick and his family are avid Chiefs fans and visit Training Camp each year. In fact, that’s where they were the day Patrick learned he was approved to receive a Canine Companions service dog.
“I absolutely love what they do and what they stand for. Pairing service animals with people who have disabilities can make a massive change in easing that person’s life,” Karlaftis said in regard to Canine Companions in a statement posted to the Chiefs website.*
In the week leading up to the game, News spoke with Patrick and his mom, Brie, about what this partnership means to them.
Click here to see the full coverage.*
Then, on Saturday, the Chiefs previewed several of the shoes – including Karlaftis’ – in a post to Facebook.
Ultimately, the Chiefs fell to the Bengals 24-27. But the representation that came from the game succeeded in building excitement and pride in Canine Companions volunteers through Kansas City and across the entire country.
*Please be aware that by clicking this link, you are visiting sites that are not managed by Canine Companions. Website security, accessibility and privacy policies may be different than Canine Companions policies. Please read their policies closely.