A Tribute to a Dog-gone Good Gal

Most people have heard the old adage, "Behind every great man is a great woman."  But few are aware of its cousin - "Behind every great human is a great animal!"  The saying is certainly true for one of our own at Families Forward.

Carol Pukli has been a dedicated volunteer and supporter of Families Forward for many years, but she also commits a great deal of time to the Guide Dogs for the Blind.  As a Puppy Raiser, Carol has the important role of socializing puppies-in-training in preparation for formal guide dog training later. 

Approximately a year and a half ago, Carol came into Families Forward with an adorable three-month-old Labrador Retriever named Pandita.  While Carol busily organized and stocked food pantry shelves, Pandita remained in a fenced cage and observed the hectic activities of the pantry volunteers.  Gradually, Pandita moved out of the cage to openly socialize with everyone at Families Forward.  She followed wherever Carol went and waited patiently while Carol tutored, attended meetings, or moved bags in the pantry.  She initially came to the office once a week, then twice a week, and was present throughout the agency's Thanksgiving and Christmas madness.  When client families arrived for services, Pandita helped by entertaining the children and playing with them.  Although there were a few "accidents" and some incidences of barking in the beginning, Pandita grew to become the staff's and volunteers' moral support.

New a healthy socially-balanced pup, Pandita must move on to her next stage of training and return to Guide Dogs for the Blind.  As a tribute to the loving, docile friend, the staff at Families Forward all pitched together to purchase a Pandita heart to display on the Heart Wall.  The furry, four-legged gal has been a tremendous asset to Families Forward as a friend, a helper, a "therapist," and office pet.  We will all miss her very much.  Good luck Pandita!