Guide Dogs of America Does More Than Provide Guide Dogs

As Kirby and I (Team Jirby) guide through our fourth year together, we grow in our gratefulness to Guide Dogs of America in every facet of our lives. We have been working towards our master’s degree in the Art of Communication this past year and will finish by this fall! What an accomplishment, yet even greater, this program is giving us tools to express our gratitude on an even greater level. Learning and experiencing all of the facets of a guide dog team, having friends who have raised puppies, getting to know puppy raisers, friends becoming regular donors, and getting the privilege of personally interacting with sponsors about the miracle of Kirby as a guide dog have helped us develop The Common Goal Theory. Kirby and I developed this theory over time as we experienced kindness, love, and care from people of all facets of Guide Dogs of America who set their differences aside to fulfill a shared need or desire.

Kirby and I developed this theory over time as we experienced kindness, love, and care from people of all facets of Guide Dogs of America who set their differences aside to fulfill a shared need or desire.

You see, Guide Dogs of America does more than provide Guide Dogs, they bring people together who peacefully set aside their personal desires and preferences to sacrifice time, money, and effort for the common goal of restoring confidence and independence to the blind and visually impaired. GDA was the inspiration for The Common Goal Theory in our conflict management class. This theory states that when people have a sustainable and common goal for good, they manage conflict better in relationships, the workplace, and the world. The world as a whole has experienced so much change in the midst of multiple crisis, and yet the peace that remains in GDA because of their common goal serves as an example to the world. The most beautiful part of GDA is the peace that comes from volunteering, donating, training, and serving with the united goal of improving the lives of the blind, visually impaired, and disabled.

            In our fourth year of being Team Jirby, Kirby and I say thank you to GDA for being an example and inspiration to hundreds and thousands of others through our personal daily encounters of people on the sidewalks, streets, airports, trains and beyond. We are all stakeholders in this amazing organization and most importantly we are a family.  Thank you GDA for being an example of peaceful serving that makes the world a better place. You are united with the goal of putting others first. We love you always.

Sincerely,

Kirby and Jill/Team Jirby