From left are members of the Friends of the Florence County K9 Unit: Desiree Windell, Julie Windell, Allison Krueger, Carly Ihrke, Victoria Peterson, Jackie Dallagrana and Holly Krueger.

FLORENCE, Wis. — The Friends of the Florence County K9 Unit recently had their year-end committee meeting and reflected on another successful year supporting the Florence County Sheriff’s Office K9 program.

Thanks to continued community support, 2025 was a strong year for the unit.

Throughout the year, the K9 Committee covered 100% of K9 health care and veterinary costs, supported required training and annual certifications, and invested in new training equipment and squad upgrades to improve safety and response efficiency.

The organization also focused on community outreach, including hosting K9 & Cookies at the Florence School System so students could meet and learn about the K9 teams.

The year concluded with the organization in a positive financial position, helping ensure long-term support for the K9 program.

Several successful fundraisers took place throughout the year, including a fish fry, chainsaw raffle, steak dinner, and rifle raffle, along with ongoing K9 merchandise sales.

Upcoming fundraisers include —

— Annual K9 Fish Fry on Friday, Feb. 20, the first Friday of Lent. Raffle baskets will be featured again, and the annual chainsaw raffle drawing will take place that evening.

— Steak Dinner Fundraiser on Saturday, March 21, at The Filling Station in Florence. Based on the popularity of the previous event, Chef Troy, Gina and The Filling Station have graciously agreed to host again.

Additional details and ticket information will be announced closer to each event. The public is encouraged to follow the Friends of the Florence County K9 Unit on Facebook for updates. Event information will also be shared with the local newspapers as dates approach.

Pictured: