Operation Canyon Rising is an expedition for disabled veterans to hike the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim as motivation to aid in their rehabilitation and provide them with a monumental goal that, once achieved, gives them incentive to lead a fulfilling life.
Starting from the North rim is symbolic of how life was before their injury or illness. Then by hiking down the floor of the canyon, the depths of the realization of the permanent realities of the new disability and the monumental recovery ahead are reached. Finally, climbing out of the canyon on the South rim gives the analogy of “RISING UP” to meet their life-long challenge, learning to overcome limitations and gaining hope for both the veteran and others they are closely associated with.

Tee It Up for the Troops sponsorship of this expedition helped six individuals make this rim to rim journey including two below the knee amputees, one above the knee amputee, one arm amputee, one Gold Star widow and one Gold Star sister.
Founder Steve Connolly, Lt. Col. (Ret) USAF Reserves, had this to say: “This was probably the most impactful expedition I have done so far! I cannot thank you enough, yet again, for your support. The combination of the disabled veterans with the Gold Star family members was unbelievable. As we got to the bottom of the canyon and they opened up about their lows in life, each member of the team found a way to connect with others on the team. They formed beautiful bonds and really helped to heal each other. Many were suicidal and in talking with each other, they saw different points of views, common grounds of hurt and reasons to go on in life. Our motto of RISE UP on September 11th was taken to heart and they all left this journey with a purpose in life and a path forward. I just want you to know that you truly made a difference in their lives, and in sponsoring this expedition, you showed them that people out there really do care about them and that means a lot!”
On September 11, 2018, as the group hiked out of the canyon, their motto of “RISE UP” to face life’s challenges was taken to heart as they all left this journey with a purpose in life and a path forward… just as our country did after the terrorist attacks 17 years ago on that same date.
If you would like to read the bios of these brave participants or learn more about Operation Canyon Rising, click here.






Liz and her husband Corey, a 17 year Major in the Air Force, will use a $125,000 grant and a $125,000 loan as start-up capital to open an Anytime Fitness gym near Fort Rucker in Dothan, Alabama.
Not an hour goes by for Jim* without reliving the horrors of that day. One moment he was on a fairly typical mission in Iraq. The next he lay trying to clear the dust from his eyes and inventory the full extent of his injuries.



Tim Wegscheid, Tee It Up for the Troops President and Executive Director, shared: “We are thankful for The Club Foundation’s ongoing and generous support. It is vital to help military veterans and their families, and it is clearly helping to make a positive difference in their lives.”

The military honorary ceremony was the highlight of the day. This event included a stirring tribute to the men and women of our military, past and present, complete with a Bag Pipe Call to Arms, Honor Guard honoring all service branches, Invocation, National Anthem sung by local celebrity Holly Kirsten, dove release, fireworks, and a flyover with T-34 and C-6 fighter planes that served in the Korean War.
Currently, we accommodate 6-8 warriors per class. Our goal for 2017 is to increase class sizes to 10 members, as we try our hardest to fight against the suicide epidemic of post-9/11 heroes. The additional kennel is key to meeting this goal. It allows us to have more dogs available and ready to pair with the warriors who need them most. In 2016, we graduated 72 warrior-canine teams! That indicates a total of 144 lives saved last year, counting just graduates. However, our statistics are even better than that, because we saved a total of 190 dogs! Those that weren’t evaluated as good fits for service work were adopted into homes of eager, dedicated dog lovers.
“I tried everything under the sun, from medications to neurological treatments. After going through K9s’ program, I now have peace of mind that my future will be better than my past. K9s saves veterans, making them functional citizens, with the help of an animal that would’ve most likely been euthanized. I now have hope for my life.” – Brad & Bear, November 2016 graduates.



