April 2024 Luncheon

Tony Russell is an advocate for Veterans and people with disabilities. His deep understanding of mental challenges began at a young age when he was adopted after a tragic accident. As an Air Force Wounded Warrior, Tony served 9 years as a Civil Engineer with multiple deployments and humanitarian missions before being medically retired after suffering a career ending injury that put him in a coma.

Tony was forced to relearn the foundational basics of living, and one of the things that helped him along his recovery journey was his service dog. Having experienced first-hand the extensive impact a service dog can make, but also being aware of the high cost and limited number of dogs available to the people who need them, Tony knew this was something he wanted to pursue. With the support of his wife Eleanor, they co-founded South Dakota Service Dogs (SDSD) in 2021. The Mission of SDSD is to provide Service dogs to Veterans and First Responders who deal with PTSD, physical disabilities, health conditions, and other challenges at no cost.

Through his inspiring story, Tony now shares his story and passion as a motivational speaker. Through his story, he motivates and empowers others to seek a resilient mind set and achieve greater success no matter their challenges.

Tickets for this luncheon will be on sale until Monday, April 15 at 12pm.