Welcome to the first ever Pennsylvania campaign centered at the John Wister Elementary School in Philadelphia, PA. The kids at Wister elementary teamed up with our 1st ever National Football League Team The Philadelphia Eagles!

​

NFL Team, the Philadelphia Eagles joined forces with the Wister Elementary School to sponsor a lifesaving Mine Detection Dog to be named — Little Swoop. 

​

Little Swoop was fully funded…..“The funds raised for the Campaign went over the amount needed to sponsor MDD Little Swoop … the extra amounts have been applied to help young landmine survivors in Iraq.”

​

In late summer, after Little Swoop was fully funded, MLI’s Donor Delegation, to include CHAMPS student leaders and teachers from around the US gathered together for a wonderful week of adventuring as they explored Sri Lanka!

​

Nicholas Towles (student) and Rebecca Long (teacher) from the CHAMPS PA – Wister Elementary School/Philadelphia Eagles Campaign were among this group that enjoyed the hospitality of this beautiful country with other members of the MLI Donor Delegation.

​

During their travels through this beautiful country, Rebecca and Nicholas were able to meet the Secretary of Defense, visit minefields to watch demining efforts, meet landmine survivors of that country, and meet Wister Elementary-Philadelphia Eagles newly sponsored Mine Detection Dog — MDD Little Swoop and his handler. Meeting with members of the United States Embassy, visiting the Elephant Orphanage in Pinnewala and touring a tea factory in the High Tea Country; there was never a dull moment for the group. Delicious food, warm and inviting people and lush beautiful countryside surrounded them for the entire week.