Touch a Truck event raises funds for K9 Kiko
MARS — While the highlight of the event was supposed to be trucks, Kiko was the star.
Kiko is the Adams Township Police Department's new K9. The Touch a Truck event, hosted Saturday by Mars Agway, was to collect donations to benefit Kiko and his handler, Officer Jason Giallorenzo.
“The special training equipment and safety gear is very expensive,” said Katie Niklewicz of Mars Agway. “We've helped the Sewickley township dog, K9 Benny, for years, and so we decided to start helping Kiko.”The event featured first responder vehicles and a number of different local organizations. Food trucks, local craft vendors, and a petting zoo kept families entertained, and children had the chance to explore fire trucks, police cars, construction vehicles, winter maintenance trucks and a racing car, among other vehicles.Mars Agway previously raised over $2,000 for the K9 program through an open house event June 19.“We're starting from the ground up,” said Giallorenzo. “Everything is new for him, and for us.”Funds will go towards equipment, additional training classes, vet bills, vehicle repairs, and medical bills in case Kiko is ever injured.“It's making sure that we have the proper resources set aside to make sure that he is taken care of. That's the most important thing,” Giallorenzo said.Mike Bordt, an Adams Township police patrol officer who also races at the Lernerville Speedway race track, brought his car to the event.“When our schedule permits and when we're not racing, we tend to come to events like this,” he said. “It gets some of the younger kids interested, and they come out to the track.”
