Stater Bros. Supermarkets and Milk-Bone Provide Free Canine Assistants Service Dog to Palm Desert Community Member

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Laci Wilkins is a 27-year-old woman from Palm Desert.  Laci was diagnosed with Epilepsy at a very young age and it has progressed as she has gotten older.  Due to her condition, it is difficult for her to perform many common everyday tasks, such as picking up a dropped item.  In an effort to help make her daily life a little easier, Laci will receive a specially trained service dog from Stater Bros. Supermarkets, Milk-Bone, and Canine Assistants, an organization providing service dogs to people with disabilities.  

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Instead of Laci needing to ask someone for assistance, her new service dog will provide the help and independence she needs and deserves.  Among other tasks, her dog will assist with retrieving dropped objects, opening doors, turning on and off lights, and obtaining help in case of an emergency.    

Laci was welcomed into the Canine Assistants family at a special donation ceremony at the Stater Bros. Supermarket at 78210 Varner Road in Palm Desert on Friday, October 22nd.   Laci's actual service dog will be selected and trained to meet her specific needs and will be given to her at a Canine Assistants training camp she will attend at a later date.  Also attending the donation ceremony was 10-year-old Makenzie Wieden from Indio and her Canine Assistants dog Disco.  Makenzie, who also suffers from Epilepsy, talked about how her life has changed for the better since she was united with Disco 10 months ago.

Stater Bros. Supermarkets and Milk-Bone are taking the first step to help eliminate the waiting list for Canine Assistants and help provide dogs for those in need.  Consumers can help in the effort by visiting www.milk-bone.com and donating to Canine Assistants.

About Canine Assistants

Canine Assistants, a non-profit organization founded in 1991, trains dogs to assist children and adults with physical disabilities and/or other special needs.  Canine Assistants dogs are Golden Retrievers or Labradors that are raised at their facilities.  For additional information on the Canine Assistants program or how to apply – see their website at www.canineassistants.com

About Del Monte Foods

Del Monte Foods is one of the country's largest and most well-known producers, distributors and marketers of premium quality, branded food and pet products for the U.S. retail market, generating approximately $3.6 billion in net sales in fiscal 2009. With a powerful portfolio of brands including Del Monte®, S&W®, Contadina®, College Inn®, Meow Mix®, Kibbles 'n Bits®, 9Lives®, Milk-Bone®, Pup-Peroni®, Meaty Bone®, Snausages® and Pounce®, Del Monte products are found in eight out of ten U.S. households. The Company also produces, distributes and markets private label food and pet products. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM) visit the Company's website at www.delmonte.com.  

About Stater Bros. Supermarkets

Stater Bros. Supermarkets was founded in 1936 in Yucaipa, California, and has grown steadily through the years to become the largest privately owned Supermarket Chain in Southern California and the largest private employer in both San Bernardino County and Riverside County, with annual sales in 2009 of $3.77 billion.  The Company currently operates 167 Supermarkets, and there are over 18,000 members of the Stater Bros. Supermarket Family.  Stater Bros. is the proud recipient of the "2010 Community Service Award" from America's Supermarket Industry and will celebrate its 75th Anniversary in 2011.

STATER BROS. SUPERMARKETS...SERVING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FAMILIES FOR OVER 74 YEARS

SOURCE Stater Bros. Supermarkets