February 1 marked the 75th anniversary of the Guide Dog Foundation, an organization that trains and provides free seeing-eye dogs for blind and visually impaired individuals. TODAY highlighted the anniversary by featuring a story on one of the organizations longest volunteers, retired Navy commander Melissa Harrington.

After the birth of her third child in 2002, she wanted to find something useful to do with her time now that she was retired, so she and her family decided to volunteer to train one of Guide Dog Foundation’s puppies. She thought the experience might really show her children how love-based service looked and felt:

“It’s so good for the kids to learn about what giving really looks like. You can write a check, but this is a very personal way of giving, where you’re going to love something for a year or more and then you’re going to give it away.”

Now in their 21st year of working with the organization, the Harrington family is raising and training their 21st service dog. SWAP–an acronym for ‘Sunny With A Purpose’–is a Golden Retriever brimming with energy. Now at 18-months-old, SWAP has been busy being acclimated to a variety of situations and environments. Harrington says that when SWAP is wearing her vest, she’s all business and ready to learn:

“SWAP gets into this other state, like, ‘I’m here. I know what I’m doing. I know what I’m supposed to be doing. It lets me see the working side of her, and I really like it.”

Service dogs like SWAP must be exposed to as many places and situations as possible so they are properly prepared for life with their owner. Harrington, who lives in Burke, VA just outside of Washington D.C., takes SWAP with her to the grocery store, to walk around the memorials and monuments in the city, and even to the airport to practice going through security and walking the aisles of airplanes during pre-flight announcements.

“That’s always my goal: By the time I turn in a dog, this dog has been truly socialized and goes places. The more that these dogs have been exposed to — in a very relaxed way — as a puppy is going to serve them in great stead when they’re actually out there supporting and making decisions and guiding,” Harrington shares.

Her husband is also retired military and now works at an organization based near the Pentagon. SWAP gets to accompany him to the office and attend meetings, as have the other dogs the family has trained. Harrington has so enjoyed her work with the organization that she joined the staff for Guide Dog Foundation in 2012 as an instructor for other puppy trainers.

When asked by TODAY about what motivates her to raise puppies year after year, Harrington says meeting the people her dogs are matched with at the graduation ceremonies, and seeing the fruits of her labor is what makes it all worth while:

“It is so special and absolutely motivates you to keep going. I think this is just one of the most fulfilling things that I’ve done.”

This piece originally appeared in UpliftingToday.com and is used by permission.

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