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2017 calendar available for sale beginning early November
Lancaster, PA (October 21, 2016) – Lancaster-based non-profit United Disabilities Services (UDS), along with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League, will release its 2017 calendar to support the UDS Service Dogs program in early November. A heartwarming gift for dog and hockey lovers alike, UDS hopes the calendar sales will raise $10,000 for its program, which provides the extensive training needed to transform ordinary dogs into extraordinary sources of physical and emotional support for people with disabilities.
The 2017 UDS-Hershey Bears calendar features photos of Hershey Bears players along with team mascot Coco enjoying time with 27 UDS service dogs and puppies, a record number of pups currently in different phases of training. New to this year’s calendar are pups from three Prison Programs currently partnering with the UDS Service Dogs Program. When asked about the 14 year partnership with the Hershey Bears organization, Lori Breece, UDS Service Dogs Manager, stated “our program has been blessed with such amazing support from the Bears organization, we look forward to October each year when we can bring all of our pups in training together to participate in a photoshoot with the new team of players, who seem to enjoy it as much as we do.”
“With the holidays approaching, the calendar is a terrific gift for those who want to show support for this amazing program,” Breece said. “We are so grateful to the Hershey Bears for their loyal support and everything they do to make this fundraiser possible.”
Fundraising initiatives are critical to sustaining the UDS Service Dogs Program. Over the course of their first two years, the cost to train and raise a service dog can reach up to $25,000. The Hershey Bears hockey team has partnered with UDS in promoting and selling the calendars since 2003.
“We are excited to continue the collaboration between the Hershey Bears and UDS,” said Bryan Helmer, VP of Hockey Operations for the Hershey Bears. “The Bears and UDS have a strong relationship going on 14 years and we look forward to helping with their annual calendar sale again this year.”
Calendars cost $12 each (the first increase since the inception of this annual fundraiser, 14 years ago) and will be available at the Giant Center at the Bears’ October 29 home game against Binghamton Senators. The calendar will be sold throughout the season at the Giant Center, online at udservices.org.synapseresults.com and www.wgal.com, and at the UDS Holiday Gift Wrap Booth and the UDS Service Dogs Kiosk at Park City Center (Sears Mall) during the holiday shopping season.
In addition to the Hershey Bears, UDS thanks printing partner Executive Printing of Elm, and Bill and Nancy with JustSports Photography for their support of its fundraising initiative.