The first day of school can be an exciting time for many children; the start of the academic year sets the stage for countless opportunities to make friends and explore new subjects. But the first few weeks of classes can also be a stressful time for students as they transition to a different schedule and acclimate to the change of pace. On the first day of the 2024-25 school year, many students in Lancaster County were greeted by a special staff member: a facility dog that has been trained by United Disabilities Services (UDS) to help kids overcome the anxiety and stress of the school day.

Dogs trained by UDS specialize in a few key areas, but the organization has seen a growing trend in the number of local school districts requesting canines for their classrooms. These facility dogs are placed in schools to help create a calming learning environment, and they receive special training to comfort students who struggle with anxiety and to help de-escalate emotional outbursts. Over the last five years, UDS has received more applications for facility dogs than ever before; the organization began talks with the School District of Lancaster to place dogs in its schools downtown, and these special canine helpers can be now found in nearly every school district in the county.

UDS began training 16 new puppies this year, and it invests upward of $25,000 per dog over the course of its training. To sustain its service dog programs, UDS holds an annual golf tournament. The event took place on Aug. 16 this year, and it was the first time the fundraiser had a full flight of 144 golfers. The tournament raised more than $65,000 for UDS, which is a $10,000 increase from last year. "I am beyond proud. We exceeded all expectations," said Lori Breece, UDS service dog manager. "Starting out strong in the new fiscal year puts us in a good position to continue our work through the winter months when things usually slow down."

This is the fourth year UDS has hosted a golf fundraiser. A few key changes were made to enhance golfers' experience and to keep the pace of play moving swiftly, and the event was shortened from six hours to five hours. UDS attributes the growing success of the fundraiser to the growing demand for dogs, as well as new partnerships with local businesses and sponsors.

In addition to the funds raised by the golf outing and local sponsors, UDS relies on numerous volunteers to sustain its service dog programs. Each dog must complete a 22-month training process, and volunteers assist by walking dogs and taking them home for a weekend to get a break from the kennel. "I can't overstate how important volunteers are. Without them, we can't bring in new puppies and they don't get enough socialization during training," Breece said. "We're always looking for people to help with whatever they can, even if it's just walking a dog for an hour. There's no commitment."

For more information or to learn how to become a volunteer, visit https://udservices.org.