Living Unleashed, a UCA student organization, hosted a fundraising event Jan. 13, at Larry’s Pizza, where students, families and community members came together for an evening of great food and a shared commitment to a cause.
The event allowed patrons to enjoy a delicious meal while learning about the overall mission of Living Unleashed, which raises service dogs for a company, Canine Companions.
The night was an engaging and educational way to raise awareness, build community connections and gather donations.
Volunteers took on various roles, from cleaning tables and taking orders to serving pizza, all while spreading the word about the organization’s work.
The fundraising efforts help alleviate some of the costs, which are especially important as many members of Living Unleashed are full-time UCA college students.
“Dogs are very expensive to raise, and with most of our members being college students, money is a big factor in fulfilling our mission,” freshman Karalina Scott said.
Cheyanne Woole, event chair of Living Unleashed, said, “To help cover the costs associated with raising the puppies, we teamed up with Larry’s Pizza, which has graciously supported many other UCA organizations in the past. They recommend that we fundraise with them, and we’re excited to continue this tradition. Our goal is to ensure that students involved in this life-changing program don’t have to bear the full financial burden.”
The organization’s efforts are crucial, as service dogs can be life-changing for individuals with disabilities, which enables them to perform tasks that range from picking up items to assisting with mobility in wheelchairs.
“The impact of our work is immense — it allows individuals to gain independence and improve their quality of life,” Woole said.
Founded in 2017, Living Unleashed trains puppies for 15-18 months before sending them to Canine Companions for advanced training.
The service dogs, which can cost between $15,000 and $30,000 to raise, are provided free of charge to individuals with disabilities.
“We raise puppies for about a year and a half before returning them to Canine Companions to ensure a perfect match with their forever clients,” Scott said.
Looking ahead, Living Unleashed will be hosting a Puppy Kissing Booth on Feb. 13 in the courtyard during x-period, offering students the chance to meet the adorable puppies and learn more about the organization.
“We invite you to join us in supporting this wonderful cause and help us provide service dogs to those in need. Anyone interested in joining the organization come see us at the Kissing Booth,” Woole said.
In addition to the upcoming Puppy Kissing Booth event, the group will introduce two new puppies to the program in February.
“We’re always excited to welcome new puppies into our program, and this event will help us raise the funds needed to support them,” Woole said.
Living Unleashed is also planning a Valentine’s Day candy gram fundraiser to further support its mission, making it easy for the UCA community to get involved and show their love for a good cause.
