Over the Edge: Canines for Disabled Kids Empower Children Through Service Dogs and Courageous Fundraiser

By-Hank Stolz

Photo: Canva / Licensed stock image

WORCESTER, MA– Hank Stolz sat down with Kristen Hartness, Executive Director of Canines for Disabled Kids (CDK), to talk about her organization’s mission and its upcoming Over the Edge fundraiser in Worcester.

CDK helps children with disabilities gain independence through scholarships for service dogs, advocacy, and educational programs that teach communities how to support accessibility and inclusion. Hartness emphasized how these dogs perform complex, life-changing tasks — a process that requires between $35,000 and $55,000 in training and careful matching between child and canine.

“I don’t want kids who can use these dogs to have to wait until they’re 18 or 21 or 25 to be able to access these tools,” Hartness said. “That’s why we’re here.”

To continue this mission, CDK’s fifth annual Over the Edge fundraiser takes place Saturday, November 15th, when participants will rappel down the Mercantile Building in Worcester. The event, Hartness explained, is designed as an inclusive and symbolic experience, mirroring the trust and courage children must develop when working with their service dogs.