Pupdate: It’s a Fur Baby Friday!
The way a puppy grows –
A little on his nose…
And a little on his ears;
In half a dozen years.😉
Big Ben meets police dog his foundation provided
From Debbie Wachter, New Castle News:
If it weren’t for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the Shenango Township Police Department wouldn’t have a police canine.
Roethlisberger had a chance to meet Kalo, a 5-year-old, all-black German shepherd, face to face Wednesday during a massive food distribution at the Shenango Elementary School parking lot. The star player was there with his wife, Ashley, a Laurel High School graduate, to assist with the Trucks of Hope/Convoy of Hope/NOW venture to give away boxes and bags of food and other supplies to more than 1,500 people in a drive-through distribution.
Kalo, whose handler is Shenango Township patrolman Dan Tressler, was on site to meet Roethlisberger while the distribution was under way.
The police department acquired Kalo from the Shallow Creek Kennels in South Pymatuning Township, Mercer County. He was paid for with funds from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation, founded by Roethlisberger, which disperses grants to police and fire department canine units throughout the United States.
Kalo was born in Hungary, and answers to a variety of commands in English, German and Czechoslovakian, Tressler said. He is trained for patrol and for narcotics detective.
“This was the first time they ever met,” Tressler said.
The township police department received grant of about $14,000 to $14,500 for the dog, which also covered the cost of his training, he said. He’s had the dog in his care since 2016.
“It was great that he helped us out,” Tressler said of Roethlisberger, “because I don’t know if we could have afforded it otherwise.”
Kalo is the only canine officer on the Shenango police force.
For more information about Ben’s foundation please contact Jessica Duffaut at www.givingback.org.
‘We want to help the community’
“We are passing out a lot of food. We are boxing everything up. I saw the crazy amounts of personal hygiene stuff, food, baby food. We are excited to see the joy on people’s faces.” — Ben.
From Teresa Varley at Steelers.com:
Ben and Ashley Roethlisberger and Vance and Kendi McDonald know that families are hurting right now. They know there is a need for the basic necessities, things as simplistic as bread and milk, with so many still impacted because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
That need, that lack of resources for so many, is why the Roethlisbergers and McDonalds once again teamed with Convoy of Hope to help those in Western Pennsylvania, in particular those in the New Castle community where Ashley Roethlisberger grew up.
“We want to help the community, this is my wife’s community, where she grew up in New Castle. We did one a few weeks ago at Heinz Field, so to be here in New Castle to help the community, it’s a way we can show our kids and the next generation it’s about love and helping others. It shouldn’t be about us. The more we can do, the happier we are.” — Ben.
The Roethlisbergers, McDonalds and Convoy of Hope worked with Jubilee Ministries International, Nourishing Others Well-Being Project and the Christian Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania to host a drive-thru food giveaway for up to 1,500 families.
There were cars lined up for more than a mile before the distribution even began, further highlighting how strong the need is.
“They have such a need here. Convoy of Hope, and all of the partners who are working together, can go to these smaller communities and provide more meals. There has always been a need to reach out and help. There have always been people who are struggling and in need of food and especially during these times, people who have normally been okay have found themselves in difficult situations. It was a blessing that the people in Pittsburgh have focused on what the needs in the city are and how we can meet them. We’re thankful for Convoy of Hope because that is their mission, to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. We’re just happy to be able to […]
Happy Birthday Mommy!
Mommy, it doesn’t matter if we are losing teeth, climbing trees, or going for a swim – you are always there for us and always loving us and supporting us so much!
You help us with baseball and help make it so much fun!
You always think it’s funny when we show off our muscles, hee hee!
Mommy, we love you so much and are so thankful that we have the very best mommy in the whole wide world! — Jr., Bay & Bo.
A message worth repeating!
It’s time for another truck!!
Since the last Convoy of Hope truck event went so well at Heinz Field we wanted to help do it again. This time in my wife’s home town of New Castle.
But we can’t do it alone so we need your help, every dollar raised goes directly to a family in need! Truck 2 will be at Shenango High School on July 22nd!
Please go to trucksofhope.com to help. — Ben.
A Pupdate Exclusive!
