Elizabethtown College is once again welcoming accepted students into the flock in a special way. The College announced their fourth consecutive “Make a Deposit, Make a Difference” program, matching each deposit made by new students and donating the money to a local charity.

“This is about our motto Educate for Service, and how we do that in a way that shows incoming students that they’re doing that just by making the decision to come to Etown,” Vice President for Enrollment Management John Champolini said. “The president all the way to the admissions counselors see the value in the program.”

The “Make a Deposit, Make a Difference” program was started in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the College’s effort to serve the community goes back to 1915, when the “Educate for Service” motto was adopted.

This year, the College is donating to Keystone Pet Enhanced Therapy Services (KPETS), a local charity that provides service animals to distressed individuals. The core values of the charity are respect, community, integrity and compassionate service, fitting perfectly with the mission statement of Etown.

“Any decision like this of who we are going to invest in as a college is always a collaborative decision,” Champolini said. He cited the finance, admissions and marketing team, as well as the senior cabinet and President Betty Rider, who made the final decision.

“It’s a really nice process and there were lots of ideas on the table, but given the issues in the local community that are the most prominent, KPETS rose to the top,” Champolini said. “Mental health became a big issue through COVID pandemic, and KPETS does therapeutic work. They’re a unique organization and are grateful for the funding and the help.”

“We can feel good about knowing they’re using funding to actually help improve people’s lives,” he added.

The College set a goal of $15,000, and deposits made between Jan. 11 and March 18 will be matched.

Animals and volunteers with KPETS travel to hospitals to work with cancer patients, schools with struggling children, retirement communities, nursing homes with dementia and stroke patients and sexual assault and abuse centers to comfort victims before and after counseling sessions.

The charity is based in Lititz, Pa. and serves south-central and southeast Pennsylvania as well as northern Maryland. KPETS will come to campus to welcome families at the three accepted student days hosted at Etown.

A familiar face around campus has connections with KPETS. Truman, the beloved therapy doodle, got his therapy certification through KPETS. He’s trained in crisis response, and loves to visit with Etown students. Truman is a shining example of the important work that KPETS provides.

This year’s “Make a Deposit, Make a Difference” program showcases not only the “Educate for Service” motto, but also Etown’s commitment to the mental well-being of students and the community. Along with Truman, the College provides counseling services at no additional cost to students. Students can also be connected with an on-call counselor at all hours by calling Campus Safety.

“Especially in a time when the economy is rough and mental health services are more needed than ever, donating to organizations like KPETS is just a good way to give back,” Champolini said.

Last year, the College donated to three missions who provide services to alleviate homelessness, the Milagro House, Water Street Mission and Downtown Daily Bread. They reached their goal of $15,000 donated to the three charities.

To check out KPETS, visit their website at kpets.org. Interested individuals can donate at any time through the site.