Lebanon County Kennel Club donates $5,000 to Lebanon City Police K-9 Fund
The Lebanon County Kennel Club added to Lebanon Police Department's K-9 officer fundraiser at Thursday's Lebanon City Council meeting when its members presented Mayor Sherry Capello with a check for $5,000.
The money is the second substantial donation to the fundraiser, which has a goal of $35,000 to purchase a new dog to replace K-9 Officer Friday, who retired at age 10 in May, and a vehicle to transport it.
The kennel club's donation, added to the $5,000 contribution the Keystone Gun Club made previously, brings the city's K-9 fund to $16,000, although some of that money will be needed to care for the city's remaining K-9 officer, Axel, Capello said.
"The Lebanon County Kennel Club provides assistance to the community through many avenues," said Vice President Terina Chernich. "We feel we could help the city in replacing retired K-9 Officer Friday who has played an integral part in the safety of the community."
Like a loyal Labrador retriever, the Lebanon County Kennel Club has been faithfully supporting the city's K-9 division for more than 25 years. Their contributions helped pay for at least one K-9 officer and bulletproof vests for the dogs, Chernich said.
"We have been involved with the community back to 1991 and we have been contributing to the K-9 unit back when they had Rottweilers, which was many years ago,” she said.
Lebanon Mayor Sherry Capello (far left) receives a check for $5,000 from members of the Lebanon County Kennel Club that is to be used for the purchase of a new K-9 officer. Members shown from left are Terry Hilton, Terina Chernic, Tammy Collins, and Doris Carr.
The money for the contribution came from the club's annual AKC Dog Show held at the Farm Show and its Wagswalk, which this year will be held Sept. 23.
A nonprofit, charitable organization, Chernich said the club's mission is to promote purebred dogs and responsible ownership.
"We recognize the characteristics in each breed and the value of their worthiness," she said. "The working police dog is a prime example of specific traits that have been bred into those breeds to assist our human police officers in protecting our community."