Our family looks forward to this event every year! We have been walking one mile barefoot to support JOY International since 2017. Our rescued dogs, Chipper and Cheyenne, joined us that year in Littleton, Colorado, and Dr. Jeff Brodsky (founder of JOY International) welcomed all of us with a warm smile and a big bear hug. In 2019, Kaylee and Dakota joined Chipper and Cheyenne at the Barefoot Mile event in Evergreen, Colorado. Kaylee and Dakota spent several years in cages at puppy mills, forced to breed litter after litter of puppies for pet stores. Not unlike victims of the child trafficking, Dakota and Kaylee understood the misery of living as slaves for greedy men (and women) who abused them for profit. Our pack of rescued dogs has changed throughout recent years. Chipper, Cheyenne, Dakota, and Kaylee (AKA The Fantastic Four) have passed away, so it's up to our family and friends to continue their legacy by supporting this amazing charity. We currently have 5 dogs, most of them puppy mill survivors: Timber, Stormy, Forest, River, and Kevyn! This year's event is at the Platte Canyon High School, "Home of the Huskies." I don't think dogs are allowed on the field at this event, but they will be there in spirit! To learn more about our rescued doggies, please follow "Chipper's Friends" on Facebook.
Joy International is dedicated to the rescue, restoration, and reintegration of children, teens and young women affected by trafficking and the prevention of child trafficking worldwide. JOY International was the winner of the Evergreen Chamber of Commerce 2021 Nonprofit of the Year. The founder of this charity, Dr. Jeff Brodsky, lives here in the mountains. He has been barefoot 24/7, 365 days a year, during hot summers and cold winters, since July 2010. If you'd like to know more about why he does that, please visit: www.joy.org/barefoot-mile .