The Lori Kauffman Volunteer Of The Month Award

Susie Atcheson is the recipient of the March 2011 Lori Kauffman Volunteer of the Month Award

For 35 years, Susie Atcheson, our March Volunteer of the Month, has loved goldens. She joined GRRA™ in 2007 after googling 'golden rescue.' "I used to show dogs in obedience many, many years ago, so I've had goldens since I was 20-years-old from the same kennel," she explains. "I haven't lived without them!" Susie jumped right in by helping at Adoption Days before volunteering with the Intake team, updating Salesforce and doing home checks in her area.

Though Susie had no intentions of adopting, it was on one fateful Adoption Day that she met Morgan. "I had just lost Dixie to cancer, and I just kept walking around looking at Morgan," she says. "She looked so much like my Dixie that I told Elizabeth I would take her if no one adopted her." Even though Morgan was older, she did get adopted that day, but as fate would have it, she was returned shortly thereafter and immediately adopted by Susie. This past August, Morgan lost her battle with cancer, but in the two years Susie had her, she was very much loved and pampered.

Another aspect of volunteerism Susie participates in is therapy work, training and testing with Dreamworkers, Inc. "Goldens are perfect for therapy work," Susie explains. "They're tall enough so people in beds or wheel chairs can pet them, and they are very easy to train most of the time!" Susie takes her 10-year-old, Pete, to two nursing homes and a special needs class at the local high school. "He's a big hit at the Special Olympics!" she says. "And the kids like to throw the ball, walk him on the leash and hide the ball - they are just perfect for all of that." Susie is in the midst of training her less than enthusiastic 2-year-old, Colbear, as a therapy dog as well. "He's almost too laid back for the job," she laughs. "But he's gone a couple of times and enjoys it."

Susie's newly appointed roll is with shelter dogs under Intake. She can filter through as many as 25 emails daily asking GRRA™ to rescue a 'golden' but unfortunately she has to turn many down. "I think if we're going to call it 'GRRA™' that we should make sure we're helping golden retrievers and not a lot of mixes," she explains. "Personality certainly counts, but for the integrity of what we advertise, we need to stick to purebreds." Susie says she would take all the dogs out of the shelters if she could, but she knows our resources need to be put towards the goldens. "I don't ever want to see any dog mistreated or left behind in a shelter, but my love and breed of choice is goldens," she says.

Since Susie is now retired, she has the time to devote to the never ending shelter pleas. "When I retired, the thing I wanted to do was help," she says. "Why else would you do it, except for the love of goldens!"

GRRA™ and the goldens are lucky to have you Susie! Thanks for all you do to make a difference! Susie's dogs, Morgan and Pete, are pictured above.

Lori Kauffman, who passed away in 2007, was a GRRA™ volunteer who wanted to ensure that GRRA™ continued to do its valuable work. Lori wanted people to know, "Dogs are not disposable. Having a dog is a lifelong commitment. They are an equal part of the family".

If you are aware of a volunteer's efforts that exemplify what is needed to make our volunteer organization survive and thrive, please send a note to volunteer@grra.com. Monthly Nominations are due by the 17th of each month. Click here to see previous award winners.