Donations are the lifeblood of nonprofit organizations. Proceeds from a fundraiser sponsored by United Disabilities Services Foundation not only benefit its programs but also harried shoppers who tend to put gift wrapping off until the last minute or find making bows impossible.
Anthony Hartman of Ephrata “wrapped up” his Christmas shopping by visiting the UDS station.
Help is as close as Park City Center. Back for its 54th year, UDS’s gift-wrapping station is once again humming with 200 volunteers, all of whom would probably give Martha Stewart a run for her money when it comes to creating beautiful packaging for holiday gifts. This year, the station has a new sleek and modern look thanks to a partnership with TAIT. Yes, that TAIT … the Lititz company best known for designing the stage for Taylor Swift’s recently concluded Eras Tour, as well as for building stages and sets for artists like Elton John, Rihanna and other super stars in the music industry.
The old wrapping station, which had been in service for the past 20 years, had seen better days and needed some TLC. Fortunately, board member Mike Callahan (of Benchmark Construction Co.) was acquainted with Christian Recknagel, TAIT’s chief culture officer and turned to him for help. That led to a collaboration between TAIT and UDS. Three prototypes were formulated, the result of which was unveiled at Park City on Black Friday.
The new set-up for the tables and skirting of the station feature many of the materials and components that distinguish the elaborate sets that TAIT builds for industry and corporate clients but on a smaller scale. It’s also geared to organization. (For example, the station can be assembled and disassembled in under 15 minutes.) In a nutshell, it’s both fun and functional. It’s also attracting the attention of shoppers, which hopefully will help UDS surpass the $50,000 that was raised last year. Also, UDS hopes to continue collaborating with TAIT, as the interior storage areas of the wrapping station could use some updating.
Radha Davé puts the finishing touches on a gift box.
Thanks to sponsors, UDS can equip the station with necessities such as wrapping paper (as many as 17 rolls, each 417 feet in length, are used each year), gift boxes, gift bags, gift cans, tissue paper and ribbon/bows. Volunteers are trained via a video how to properly measure and cut the paper and wrap the box. “This is a fundraiser, so every little bit counts,” says Radha Davé, who manages the booth. She reports that volunteers are always up for a challenge and names a canoe, a rocking chair, fireplaces and a sword as gifts that required some creativity on the parts of the volunteers to wrap. Through the station, volunteers always get the scoop on the season’s hottest toys and gifts.
The station will operate through December 24 in the Round 1 wing of the mall. Gift-wrapping services start at $4 and increase depending on the size of the box, etc. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday, 12-5 p.m. UDS dogs will be onsite Saturday, December 21. For more information, visit udservices.org
The UDS Backstory
In 1965, a young girl named Anna was unable to see the blockbuster movie, Mary Poppins, with her friends. Why? The theatre could not accommodate Anna’s wheelchair. Out of that unfortunate incident arose United Cerebral Palsy of Lancaster County. By 2000, an ever-expanding slate of services necessitated a name change and United Disabilities Services debuted. Based in Lancaster, UDS now serves people with disabilities, as well as those with age-related challenges, across 40 Pennsylvania counties, providing services to more than 6,000 clients, enabling them to lead more independent and safer lives.
Service and facility dogs are just one of many programs that UDS offers.
No doubt, service dogs account for UDS’s best-known program. UDS-trained dogs help individuals with mobility issues or assist those with autism navigate daily life. These dogs train for more than two years before they are partnered with individuals for whom daily tasks are a challenge (opening and closing doors, retrieving objects, etc.) In addition to full-service dogs, UDS trains companion dogs that work with clients at home.
Other necessities such as gift bags can be purchased at the station through December 24.
Schools, healthcare facilities and senior living communities have also realized the value of UDS dogs and, as a result, the demand for facility dogs has grown over the last decade. Such dogs are being used in school settings to mediate student behavior, often helping to de-escalate a situation that could otherwise result in a student being sent home. Facility dogs also serve as nonjudgmental “read” dogs, helping students who struggle with reading practice and gain confidence simply by listening to them read aloud.
According to UDS’s website, the organization typically trains Labradors because the breed tends to learn quickly and will change allegiance easily. The organization is always seeking funding for the care and training of puppies (they can be sponsored by businesses, employees of businesses, churches or other groups). UDS’ Ambassador dogs are often seen at community events.
What you may not be aware of is UDS’s focus on age-related services. The need is a growing one, as the CDC reports that “nearly one-fourth of adults aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated.” Recognizing a need, UDS unveiled a program to help foster that important connection.
Sponsors (such as Engle Printing & Publishing) help UDS purchase supplies for the wrapping station each year.
UDS’s Wellness Call program is tailored to seniors who are alone or could use a friendly voice to talk to in order to stay connected, feel safe and live more independently. The program is an outgrowth of the pandemic, during which the organization noticed that callers would want to spend more time on the phone than usual. Realizing how much the pandemic further increased isolation for older adults and those with disabilities, the idea for Wellness Calls was born.
The program offers two types of calls. The first is Check-In Calls, through which UDS verifies clients are comfortable completing daily living activities (such as taking medications and eating properly). During these calls, they also assess the client’s mood and any safety concerns in the home. The second type of call, Conversational Calls, are longer and provide more in-depth discussion about family, hobbies, current events, etc. The goal of these calls is to foster an increased layer of connection. UDS also focuses on and provides an array of other services for older adults, including personal home care, home modifications, fall prevention and more.
2025
UDS is excited to welcome 2025, as it will be celebrating its 60th anniversary. However, UDS is kicking off the celebration early by teasing who their high-profile speaker will be for the Diamond Jubilee Gala that will be held May 8 at the Lancaster County Convention Center. Hints began dropping Twelve Days of Christmas-style earlier this month and the famous speaker will be announced December 20. Visit UDS’ Facebook for clues.
For more information about United Disabilities Services Foundation, visit udservices.org.
