Staff Report

ROCKFORD – Proceeds from this year’s SwedishAmerican’s Caring Canines Therapy Dog program calendar sales will will benefit the Rockford Police Department’s K-9 Unit.

The Caring Canines, Rockford Police Department, and Friends of the K9 Unit launched the sales Thursday, Dec. 5, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at SwedishAmerican Hospital.

“Friends of Rockford Police K-9 Unit are so appreciative of this gesture from the Therapy Dog program atSwedishAmerican,” said Kathy Hansen, board member for the Friends of the Rockford Police K-9 Unit. “Like our ‘Police K-9 Heroes,’ we have great respect and admiration for what the therapy dogs do for the patients at SwedishAmerican Hospital.  We feel fortunate to have such a wonderful team of K-9s in our area.”

The Caring Canines 2020 wall calendars feature all of the therapy dogs and are available for $12 each.

Future opportunities to purchase calendars are Dec. 6, Dec. 11, Dec. 16, Dec. 18 and Dec. 20 from 11 a.m.
to 1 p.m. in the SwedishAmerican dining commons, or Dec. 12 and Dec. 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the
Heart Hospital lobby.

“SwedishAmerican’s Caring Canines therapy dog program will turn 10 years old this year,” Caring Canines Director Claudia Aschbrenner said. “This represents a full decade of delivering their unconditional love, smiles and comfort to our patients. As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of our own canine team, we would like to pay tribute to their counterparts from the Rockford Police Department. Working tirelessly and skillfully, the RPD’s K-9 team has been keeping Rockford safe for more than 20 years. SwedishAmerican’s Caring Canines would like to celebrate our 10 th anniversary by saying thank you to the Rockford Police Department Friends of the Police K-9 Unit by donating the proceeds of this year’s calendars to their program.”