Solanco townlively.com
JANUARY 22, 2025
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXI • NO 40
More than man’s best friend
An alliance of artists
BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
Future UDS service dogs await the start of their training at the organization’s office building.
more comfortable in school, and others are perceptive enough to recognize the early signs of a traumatic flashback and rush to their owners’ side. Rineer said the fourth UDS dog she helped train was able to fetch bottles of water from the refrigerator for a client with mobility restrictions. The dog was even able to take the empty bottles to the recycling bin after the owner was finished. In recent years , UDS has bro ade ne d i t s s e r v ice a re a to include clients within five hours of L ancaster County. The number of local school districts requesting a service dog has steadily increased as well, and UDS dogs currently serve nearly every school district in the county. Jennifer King, a member of the UDS service dog ambassador team, said many teachers testify that ser vice dogs have reached students in ways no school staff member w a s a b l e . “ I t ’s t h e p o w e r of a wag ging tail and a wet
Volunteer Linda Rineer teaches service dog CJ how to pull out a chair.
nose,” King said. UDS relies on sponsorships and donations from the community to sustain its service dog programs. Each dog requires an investment upward of $25,000 to cover the cost of coaching and food during the 22-month training period, and financial support from individuals and businesses allows UDS to lessen the cost of
acquiring a dog for clients. UDS will hold its annual bingo fundraiser on Sunday, March 9, at Farm and Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster. The organization is always accepting volunteers who wish to help with events and training sessions. For more information, including how to become a volunteer, visit https://udservices.org.
Lancaster County has a longstanding and deep connection to visual art and creatives in the community. Lancaster city’s historic downtown area is rife with art galleries and painters’ exhibitions, the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design and distinguished museums such as Lancaster Museum of Art and the Demuth Museum. Lancaster-born artists such as Charles Demuth, whose life and work are immortalized in the Demuth Museum, have become nationally renowned for their artistic careers. In modern times, new generations of budding artists such as JJ Roach continue Lancaster’s artistic legacy by achieving recognition across Pennsylvania and beyond. The Lancaster County Art Association (LCAA), a nonprofit organization headquartered in Strasburg, is a countywide network of paintbrushes and sketchbooks. LCAA’s members hail from every part of the county, as well as areas as far as Chester County, Philadelphia and Maryland. The nonprofit’s mission is to celebrate and promote visual arts in the local community, a goal that has remained unchanged since LCAA was founded in 1936. “We’re still committed to our original idea of promoting the arts in the area,” said Patricia Keller of Landisville, who handles LCAA’s publicity and advertising. “We’re always trying to get everyone involved and to give people opportunities to appreciate, understand and see good artwork. Visual arts are important to everybody.” LC AA strives to support the art community in various See LCAA pg 8
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f you walk into the headquarters of United Disabilities Services (UDS), located at 2270 Erin Court, Lancaster, you’ll find more than a few reasons that dogs are commonly referred to as man’s best friend. The nonprofit organization provides highly trained service dogs for clients throughout Lancaster County and its surrounding areas, and each UDS dog is equipped with a special skillset to meet its owner’s needs. In early January, an office on the second floor of UDS’ main building was temporarily converted into a kennel for a litter of young golden Labs. The six puppies were less than 3 months old and, like all new arrivals at UDS, adorable but unruly. After a 22-month training program, each dog will be obedient enough to accomplish tasks such as opening a door and picking up a TV remote from the floor. Outside the room of puppies, UDS volunteer Linda Rineer worked with CJ, a black Lab that is almost ready to be paired with a client. While a chorus of yelping and whining echoed from the temporary kennel, Rineer praised and encouraged CJ as he pulled a walker and opened doors on command. “The key to successfully training a dog is food, food and more food,” said Rineer, a resident of the Buck who frequently travels to UDS’ facility to assist with training. “A lot of people think (service dogs) are working, but for them, it’s like playing ball all day.” UDS service dogs specialize in different areas, and each canine is matched with a job that complements its personality traits and strengths. Some dogs may have a calming presence that can help anxious children feel