CCPD receives grant for K-9 unit from NFL star

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PHOTO: The Cape Coral Police Department K9 Unit, Special Operations Lieutenant along with Chief Dave Newlan and Police Grant Writer Shannon Northorp, accept the grant from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation, presented by the Cape Coral Community Foundation. (Photo Courtesy of Cape Coral Police Department)

CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger donated $9,974 to the Cape Coral Police Department’s K-9 Unit through the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation, according to a press release.

The Cape Coral Community presented the Cape Coral Police Department with the check on Thursday.

CCPD plans on using the money to build a new obedience obstacle course to assist with the training of its K-9 Unit.

Lieutenant Dana Coston, the Cape Coral Police Department Public Affairs Officer, is grateful for the grant and Roethlisberger’s generosity.

“Police K-9 are the pro-athletes of the dog world,” Lieutenant Coston said. “Keeping our K-9 partners in top form requires daily training and agility equipment is one of the best tools we have to keep our K-9s fit, agile and ready for anything. This generous donation will help our K-9s continue to keep the citizens of Cape Coral, and the officers who protect them, safer every day.”

The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation has been distributing grants to the K-9 units of police and fire departments in the surrounding communities of each regular season away game for the Steelers.

The foundation also distributed more than $170,000 in grants to K-9 units around the country during the 2015 NFL season, including $93,250 in the Pittsburgh community. The foundation has distributed over $1.5 million since 2007.

Roethlisberger’s mission for his foundation is to support K-9 units of police and fire departments throughout the United States, with a particular emphasis in supporting service dogs in Pittsburgh. The foundation also supports Make-A-Wish.

Roethlisberger said he is passionate about the foundation’s mission.

“We’re very fortunate to be in the position that we are able to help these K-9 units,” Roethlisberger said. “The work that is performed by the dogs and their handlers as well as the bond that is formed is incredible. We’re just thrilled to do our small part.”

Fans can support the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation and future K-9 grants by joining Ben’s crowdfunding campaign on https://pledgeit.org/big-ben.

Big Ben is pledging $1,000 per touchdown this season to his foundation. Supporters can increase the impact by pledging to donate any amount per touchdown.

For more information about the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation or The Giving Back Fund, visit www.bigben7.com or www.givingback.org.

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