For Kara Mead’s Hero Project, she is training a nine-month-old black Labrador named Mari for Guide Dogs of America, an organization dedicated to providing guide dogs for visually impaired men and women.
“I always liked the thought of being able to affect someone’s life in a good way and help them with normal, day-to-day things and so I thought it was the coolest thing to be able to do,” said Mead.
Mead was inspired to help Guide Dogs of America after she watched her brother raise a dog for the organization. She hopes that Mari will eventually become a guide dog for someone in need and that the word of guide dogs will spread to increase volunteers.
“I expected it to be a little bit easier, I knew it was going to be hard but I had like no summer cause I couldn’t sleep because of the puppy,” she said.
Although she has not decided what she will be presenting on the day of the Hero Project, she is planning on bringing Mari to demonstrate the required basic commands that she has worked to master.
“It’s definitely hard, but you’re able to do it if you work hard,” Mead said. “Plus, it’s been really rewarding.”
