VisionCon 2020

Each year, Visioncon works to give back to the community by raising funds for one local organization doing good in the Ozarks. Over more than twenty-five years, Visioncon has raised and donated tens of thousands of dollars to causes that improve our local community. In 2020, Visioncon will be donating proceeds of the May convention to Rogersville-based K9s for Camo. Founded by Army Veteran John Lopez in 2013, K9s for Camo is a locally-based organization with a three-fold mission: to help military veterans, rescue dogs and provide opportunities for prison inmate rehabilitation. K9s for Camo works to provide service dogs to veterans in need at no cost, using a proven framework to ensure that both dogs and veterans have the skills they need to work together as effective teams. Each year,1.5 million healthy shelter dogs are put to death in the United States. These animals, however, can be rescued, given purpose and new lives through working as service dogs for military veterans. Clinical research has proven the beneficial effect that service dogs can have on the physical and mental health of veterans. When trained appropriately, service dogs improve veterans’ lives by reducing the effects of conditions such as PTSD and improving their quality of life. What’s more, K9s for Camo provides a valuable rehabilitation opportunity for offenders at the Ozarks Correctional Center, who learn to become dog trainers and provide intensive instruction and education for the dogs who will go on to be service animals for our veterans. Inmates who participate in dog training learn how to be more patient and work through anger, helping themselves, their future families and their communities as they work to be released from prison. Once K9s for Camo has seen a rescued dog through the rigorous training process, they are matched with a veteran in advanced training, building their bond and becoming a team. Visioncon is delighted to be working with this fantastic organization that offers so much hope and healing to so many. We hope you will join us in supporting and celebrating K9s for Camo as we run up to Visioncon 2020: May 1-3 at the Springfield Expo Center!