Christmas With a Canine Provides Gifts for Local St. Ignace Child

Jesse Holt shops around the Family Dollar in St. Ignace during “Christmas with a Canine” Wednesday, December 17, 2025.

ST. IGNACE NEWS - This holiday season, the private security company Zebra K9 brought “Christmas with a Canine” to a local St. Ignace family.

Based out of Waterford, Michigan, Zebra K9 facilitates security with canine units and their handlers for events, hospitals, and schools throughout Michigan. Locally, Emily Rady and Nova serve as security for St. Ignace Area Schools through Zebra K9.

“It’s kind of like being a visual deterrent on top of being able to actually do detection work,” Rady said. “And, then we get to do really cool stuff, like the social support side of the job. That’s just amazing.”

During the holiday season, the security company recognizes that some families may need a little help. Through their Christmas with a Canine program, Zebra K9 provides gifts to a local child in the community.

“For Christmas with a Canine, the school helped us identify a family that could use it, and we were able to just work with them,” Rady said. “So, that was really cool.”

Nova follows around the Family Dollar in St. Ignace during “Christmas with a Canine” Wednesday, December 17, 2025.

St. Ignace Area Schools identified sixth grader Jesse Holt and his family to be the beneficiaries of this year’s program. Holt was brought to the local Family Dollar in St. Ignace Wednesday, December 18, and chose what gifts he wanted.

Zebra K9 initially set $125 as Holt’s ceiling for what he could spend, but they let the sixth grader exceed that cap just a bit. Moving aisle-to-aisle with a smile on his face, Holt picked out toys, a few electronics, snacks, and even a gift for a loved one.

“It’s amazing…to see the real-time difference that it makes to somebody when they can go in and get some things that they’re really going to be able to enjoy opening up on Christmas Day and not have to worry about the financial side of it,” Rady said.

Rady said she might have been identified for a similar program when she was child. Thus, giving her a personal connection to Christmas with a Canine.

“Anytime we’re able to connect with a student and kind of make a real-time difference, that’s why I love my job,” Rady said.

Once Holt picked out a shopping cart full of gifts, Rady brought them back to St. Ignace Area Schools and wrapped each present. Afterwards, she brought them back to the Holt household to be opened on Christmas Day.