President
Chuck Smit
While Chuck has always loved dogs, the timing never seemed right to bring one into his family. A decade ago, he and his family started volunteering at the Edmonton Humane Society, doing a bit of everything. Chuck walked dogs but didn’t quite understand the profound bonds people had with their pets—until he met Duke. Duke, a beautiful German Shepherd, had a few quirks, but with some patience and training for both of them, they became great friends.
After Duke moved on to his forever home, Chuck and his daughter took on their next "project" with a Staffordshire Terrier (“Staffy”) named Charlie, practicing homework until Charlie graduated and was ready for adoption. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, halting classes and walks. The Humane Society desperately needed fosters, and the Smit family agreed to bring home another Staffy named Quinn. After six weeks, the call came that Quinn was ready for adoption, but it was too late—they had officially become "foster fails." Today, Chuck can’t imagine life without his 80lb lapdog.
Chuck's introduction to CAAWLS came when his kids' school brought in the program. It was a massive hit with staff and students alike, and after seeing the magic of those visits firsthand, Chuck jumped at the chance to join our Board.
Contact: president@caawls.org