On Sunday, November 10th, members and staff of SODO Fitness Mechanics will gather to do the CrossFit hero workout, CHAD, which is 1000 Weighted Box Step Ups. We do this workout annually in memory of Chad Michael Wilkinson of the US Navy who died on October 29, 2018, in Virginia Beach on active duty after 22 years of service. Wilkinson took his own life due to the effects of numerous deployments, several TBIs, blast wave injuries and PTSD.

Bringing awareness to the mental health issues many veterans face & raising funds to help provide treatment in a variety of ways is vitally important, so we chose to hold this event each year around Veteran's Day to play a small role in that.

This year we'll be raising money for K9s for Warriors, a non-profit that provides highly-trained Service Dogs (mostly rescue dogs) to military Veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and/or military sexual trauma.

A donation of ANY amount is required as admission to participate in the event/workout, but we encourage you to make a donation, even if you can't join us in person. Every little bit helps and can make a difference in the lives of the men & women who have done so much to serve our country, and help save some dogs at the same time!

More information about K9s for Warriors: K9s For Warriors is the nation’s largest Veteran service organization focused on providing highly trained Service Dogs to Warriors. Our program is focused on mitigating the debilitating symptoms of service-connected traumas. We validate our methods through tireless research and make breakthroughs every day. Successfully guiding a Veteran through the K9s For Warriors program and providing them with a Service Dog doesn’t just change the Warrior’s life. It saves it.

The majority of our K9s are rescued from shelters. In saving these animals from abandonment or euthanasia, we give them purpose. Each pair who graduates from our program represent two lives saved – the Service Dog and the Warrior.