PENNSBURY SWIM & DIVE TEAM HOSTS PUPPY SHOWER FOR ALPHA BRAVO CANINE ®
(Article and photos submitted by Pennsbury Swimming/Diving)
As the swim & dive season comes to an end, the Pennsbury Swim & Dive team took a little bit of time out of their day to do something unique and supportive for a local non-profit, Alpha Bravo
Canine® - they held a puppy shower. Tracy Ruepp, daughter Nicole and Stryker, stopped by the Pennsbury poolhouse last Saturday and were greeted by athletes following their morning practice. The team presented them with a kennel, food, toys, treats and other supplies to help with puppy raising. With just a few dollars from each athlete, collectively they were able to provide these much-needed items and not a moment too soon.
“We’ve got a few puppies arriving this week and they will begin their training immediately,” shared Tracy Ruepp, Puppy Raising Coordinator for the organization.
Pennsbury Head Coach Tracey Hemmerle said of the event, “It’s wonderful to see the athletes and their families working together to lend a hand to a local nonprofit. Helping others is so important and strengthens the organization, the community and the contributing team members. Sharing the load and smiles makes it all worthwhile.”
Booster parent Cyndee Ward shared her thoughts, “Being able to introduce opportunities like this to our athletes is part of the whole team 
experience. It teaches them the importance of giving of yourself both in and out of the pool.”
Throughout the season, the team looks for ways to contribute both for causes close to them and to the causes of other teams in the district. This year, the team included this event in addition to their annual ‘Throw in the Towel’ campaign, collecting used towels and cleaning supplies to donate to local animal shelters.
Alpha Bravo Canine® raises, trains and donates service dogs to military veterans suffering from mental health affliction such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Inquiry (TBI). Alpha Bravo Canine® is the only non-profit of its kind in the Greater Philadelphia area.
“As a small non-profit, it is especially wonderful when the community - and in this case the Pennsbury swim and dive team - recognizes our organization. We are so grateful that the team was able to fundraise for us and then invite us to visit. The members of the swim team were incredibly welcoming and it is always important for us to try and get our mission of helping disabled veterans out to different groups.” said Tracy Ruepp.
- Log in to post comments
