floodcitygirl
10-26-2007, 12:12 AM
I thought I'd pass along this article from today's paper. It was written by a friend of mine.
Big Ben gives $8K to Oxford canine unit
Steelers QB thinks fondly of MU days
BY JANICE MORSE | JMORSE@ENQUIRER.COM
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OXFORD - "Go, Bengals - and go, Ben Roethlisberger!"
Such are the conflicting loyalties of many people here - especially Oxford police officers - as this weekend's big Bengals-Steelers showdown approaches.
That's because Roethlisberger, who won local hearts as Miami University's star quarterback before joining the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2004, announced Wednesday that his charitable foundation will provide $8,000 to the Oxford police department's canine unit.
Sgt. Tom Horvath said his unit's Christmas wish list has been granted.
"We've always supported Ben, and we're very fortunate to have his foundation's support now," Horvath said. "Are we still Bengals fans? Yes. But do we also want Ben to do well? Yes."
The city's three police dogs - Dover, Simon and Scarlet - will be outfitted with bullet-resistant vests, thanks to the grant. The money also will pay for a new cage for them to ride in, and "bite sleeves" for their training, Horvath said.
In a news release, Roethlisberger said, "Oxford is a community that was so good to me during my years at Miami University ... It is important to me that Oxford remains a safe environment for students and residents." He called the money "a token of gratitude to the men and women protecting Oxford, and to the community as a whole for the experience I enjoyed."
This season, Roethlisberger's foundation solicited applications for the grants from police and fire agencies in Pittsburgh and in communities near each of the Steelers' regular-season "away" game locations.
In 2006, the foundation distributed its first grant to police in Findlay, Ohio, Roethlisberger's hometown. That money helped to replace a service dog, Flip, that was fatally shot.
The money also bought a ballistic vest for the new dog, Spike.
Big Ben gives $8K to Oxford canine unit
Steelers QB thinks fondly of MU days
BY JANICE MORSE | JMORSE@ENQUIRER.COM
E-mail | Print | digg us! | del.icio.us!
OXFORD - "Go, Bengals - and go, Ben Roethlisberger!"
Such are the conflicting loyalties of many people here - especially Oxford police officers - as this weekend's big Bengals-Steelers showdown approaches.
That's because Roethlisberger, who won local hearts as Miami University's star quarterback before joining the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2004, announced Wednesday that his charitable foundation will provide $8,000 to the Oxford police department's canine unit.
Sgt. Tom Horvath said his unit's Christmas wish list has been granted.
"We've always supported Ben, and we're very fortunate to have his foundation's support now," Horvath said. "Are we still Bengals fans? Yes. But do we also want Ben to do well? Yes."
The city's three police dogs - Dover, Simon and Scarlet - will be outfitted with bullet-resistant vests, thanks to the grant. The money also will pay for a new cage for them to ride in, and "bite sleeves" for their training, Horvath said.
In a news release, Roethlisberger said, "Oxford is a community that was so good to me during my years at Miami University ... It is important to me that Oxford remains a safe environment for students and residents." He called the money "a token of gratitude to the men and women protecting Oxford, and to the community as a whole for the experience I enjoyed."
This season, Roethlisberger's foundation solicited applications for the grants from police and fire agencies in Pittsburgh and in communities near each of the Steelers' regular-season "away" game locations.
In 2006, the foundation distributed its first grant to police in Findlay, Ohio, Roethlisberger's hometown. That money helped to replace a service dog, Flip, that was fatally shot.
The money also bought a ballistic vest for the new dog, Spike.