Call it a “great Golden sandwich.”

With LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams sending off service members on this month’s Stars & Stripes Honor Flight in Milwaukee, WI, celebrating them as they landed in Washington, D.C., and then welcoming them back at day’s end, there was a lot of tail-wagging joy and Golden Retriever salutes across the country this week.

Lutheran Church Charities saw nine K-9 Comfort Dog teams from Wisconsin, Illinois, Maryland, and Virginia work together to thank and honor 161 veterans and their guardians as they flew from the Midwest to the nation’s capital and back again to recognize their service.

In all, three planes’ worth of heroes, many who served in World War II and Vietnam.

The day began with Charity Comfort Dog (Brookfield Lutheran Brookfield, WI) and her team on hand early Saturday morning to wave to the veterans and see them off from Mitchell Airport in Milwaukee.   

Teams Solomon (King of Glory Williamsburg, VA), Amos (Our Savior Ashburn, VA), and Kezia (Emmanuel Baltimore, MD) were at Dulles Airport in Virginia to greet the veterans as they landed and express appreciation for their service. With flights from Green Bay, WI, also arriving, more than 190 vets total made the “Flight of Champions” trip.

Solomon, Amos, and Kezia also met up with them at the memorials in Washington, D.C. Amos, Kezia and Solomon’s teams gathered for a photo at the Lincoln Memorial and then walked alongside those that went to the Vietnam Memorial.

When the veterans returned home, Samson (Zion Marengo, IL), Rejoice (St. Paul’s Janesville, WI), Mary (St. Paul’s Janesville, WI)), Charity, Sage (CUW Mequon, WI), and Samaria (Shepherd of the Hills Greenville, WI) teams all were there to celebrate the whole day.

One handler at Dulles shared this beautiful moment, “After petting the dogs, a veteran said, ‘Today was perfect. I’m getting a little emotional’ and pointed to the tear forming in his eye. He gestured toward the dogs again and reiterated, ‘Perfect.’ ”  

Another handler commented about shaking hands with all 190 veterans: “We made sure each one felt truly seen, valued, and appreciated. The emotions were powerful—as they always are at Honor Flight arrivals. The veterans don’t know there will be crowds gathered to celebrate and welcome them home, and the surprise moves many deeply.”

One veteran responded, “This is bringing tears to my eyes.”

Another asked in amazement, “Where’d you get all these people?”

Each moment was a reminder of the humility and grace these heroes share — and how God uses simple acts of love, presence, and gratitude to bring comfort and healing to those who have served.

At the Vietnam Memorial, one veteran searched the wall for the name of his childhood friend and then showed his picture. He shared that his friend had gone home for just two days to meet his new baby, returned to Vietnam, and never came back.

Another veteran paused at a pair of boots left at the wall and quietly recalled how often their feet were wet because they didn’t have enough dry socks to wear.

A third handler recalled, “As we waited for the planes to land, we met with people gathered to welcome an Honor Flight arriving from Macon, GA, which had 13 veterans onboard, including a 101-year-old man named Jerry, who was a Screaming Eagle during WWII. His family was there and reminded us that the youngest WWII veterans are now 97 years old!”

For all the K-9 Comfort Dog teams, It was a privilege to walk with these heroes, listen to their stories, and witness how God brings comfort and connection even through the weight of remembrance.
 
Serving at Mitchell Airport, Milwaukee, WI, were:
Charity (with Becky and Gary Kilvinger)
Mary (with Tom and Cheryl Skelly)
Rejoice (with Faith Larson)
Sage (with Billy and Abigail Matt)
Samaria (with veteran Brian Rollefson and Katie Rollefson)
Samson (with  veteran Jeffery Schulman and Christine Schulman)

Serving at Dulles Airport in Virginia were:
Amos (with Jodi Folta and veteran George Folta)
Kezia (with Ric Durham and Ed Cohen and former police officer Patrick Donnelly) 
Solomon (with Dawn Forgit and veteran Philip Forgit)

Even in the saddest moments and memories, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs can bring comfort through their gentle presence.

Two weeks ago, LCC Comfort Dogs Kezia (Emmanuel - Baltimore, MD)  and Amos (Our Savior's Way - Ashburn, VA) and their teams attended an American Foundation For Suicide Prevention Out Of Darkness Community Walk in Washington, D.C., an event that brought people together to remember lost loved ones and bring hope to those affected by mental health struggles.

The Kezia and Amos teams shared smiles, encouragement, and God’s love with attendees, reminding everyone they met that they are not alone — and the love of Christ brings light in dark places. It was the teams’ fifth appearance at an Out Of Darkness event.

Before the walk, the teams sat with a couple who shared that their son had taken his life in March, and before that, their beloved dog had passed away a year ago. As the husband gently petted Kezia, he told us that just last week, he had dreamt of his son walking with their old dog. “In that tender exchange, we knew that God was present — offering a sacred moment of comfort and connection through Kezia’s gentle presence,” said handler Jodi Folta.

The teams also met some veterans from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., spending the day at the D.C.  memorials. One veteran insisted on having his picture taken with Kezia and Amos. “We were honored to thank them for their service, and he expressed deep gratitude for being acknowledged and appreciated,” Folta shared.
 
She continued: “Each encounter that day was a reminder that God’s love reaches into every heart and every story — bringing healing, hope, and light. Remember: You are loved.”

This past weekend, Faith Lutheran Church in Appleton, Wisconsin, hosted a deeply moving “God’s Littlest Saints” service as part of its All Saints’ Day worship. The special gathering invited families who have experienced the loss of a child before birth to come together in remembrance, prayer, and hope.

Pastor Dan Thews led the service, sharing a message centered on the resurrection hope we have in Jesus and the comforting promises found in God’s Word — the assurance that one day we will meet, embrace, and know the children taken from us too soon. Families joined in grieving together, praying together, and praising God for the divine purpose and eternal life of all God’s Littlest Saints.

As part of the service, families were invited to order a Heart of Mercy & Compassion in honor of their Little Saint and to write messages of encouragement for others walking a similar path. Following All Saints’ Day worship on Sunday, members of the congregation were also invited to add their own messages of hope, prayers, and words of comfort on each heart. Within minutes, the small wooden hearts filled with heartfelt notes—some members even took the time to sign each of the 20 hearts being prepared for the families.

Jessica Ganzen, Faith’s HMC Ministry Coordinator, reflected on the powerful impact of the event:

“What I didn’t anticipate were the number of members who, after seeing the hearts displayed, lovingly shared their own stories of losing a Little Saint. Whether it was a recent loss or one that happened decades ago, members tearfully spoke about their children—sometimes multiple—finding renewed hope in the resurrection promise of Jesus and comfort in the outpouring of support from our congregation.”

She added that the hearts created a sacred space for open conversation about one of life’s most painful experiences.

“The hearts gave our congregation the opportunity to talk openly about one of the most difficult things—carrying one another’s burdens and honoring individuals and families who, in some cases, had silently suffered.”

Faith’s Heart of Mercy & Compassion Team is now preparing 20 hearts in total—some inscribed with a precious name, others simply bearing the message “God’s Littlest Saint”—as lasting tributes to these beloved children and the enduring hope found in Christ.