Changing Lives at 95

Post by Pam Foreman, Director of Susquehanna Service Dogs

Every year when we give the Nancy and Robert Fierer Spirit of Volunteerism Award, we know so many are deserving. In fact, that is exactly what this year’s recipient said when I told him he was chosen. He said, “What about all those raisers and other volunteers who do so much more than me and are so much more deserving?” That is the humble nature of this year’s recipient, Melvin Brownold. 

At 95 years old, Mel is Susquehanna Service Dogs’ eldest volunteer, and a true inspiration to other SSD volunteers and staff.

He began volunteering in 2009 when his wife Janie became ill, and he wanted a project to throw his energy into as he embarked on a new stage in his life.

As a retired Air Force Pilot, Mel knows the meaning of service and dedication to a cause, and that is exactly what he has done for SSD. He has dedicated his energy to our mission and championed SSD over the many years he has volunteered.

Most notably Mel has made an impact by being a public volunteer.  Each week he can be seen pulling up to a mall, or a grocery store, or other venue in his baby blue convertible (weather permitting, top down), where he meets the trainers and other public volunteers to help train our AT dogs and prepare them for their future partner.  

Despite his age, and some of the physical challenges that come with it, he is always on time and ready to work his dog, even if the weather isn’t all that agreeable. Three years ago Mel underwent heart surgery. After a short recovery he was back volunteering. He hasn’t skipped a day volunteering for SSD since. He is reliable and engaged, putting his own comfort as secondary to improving someone’s life through the gift of a skilled service dog.

Mel is the proud father to five children, grandfather of seven, and great-grandfather of three. Whenever his family is in town, he stops by for a visit to show them the work we do. His love for SSD is truly apparent during these visits. Actually, Mel takes any opportunity he can to educate anybody about SSD, as well as how they too, can contribute.

Mel donates financially and encourages others to do the same, he shows up at informational meetings and at events with genuine interest, a willingness to serve, and with wise counsel. He is an intelligent, experienced businessman and offers a sharp mind and a lifetime of expertise to SSD.

Mel’s fellow volunteers describe him as a joy to be around and an inspiration, humble in nature, deeply caring about the needs and comfort of the dogs as well as their needs. He is also described as a lot of fun. Like the time he fooled them into thinking he was carrying the 70 pound black lab he had been training earlier that day, only to find as they got closer it was a stuffed animal he bought when they weren’t looking. After they recovered from their shock and concern, the dog (named Neut, for Neutered) was strapped into the front seat of his convertible and off they went.

While his time volunteering in a physical capacity may evolve and as he’s questioned his physical ability, his first and biggest concern is whether he will hinder the needs of the dogs and program, and asks, “When that happens what else can I do for SSD? Where can my efforts best serve the program?”

When we think of Nancy and Robert, and especially Nancy and what she epitomized regarding perseverance in support and love for this program….and doing so as a volunteer, we think of Mel, because he also epitomizes that same spirit. 

He is contributing in a full, robust way, with his main focus being what is good for the dogs, and SSD, and future partner--and doing so at 95 years old.

  

Please join me in congratulating Mel on this well-deserved recognition.

The Nancy and Robert Fierer Spirit of Volunteerism Award is given out annually to a volunteer who is a champion of SSD and our mission. Recipients of this award not only support our work raising and training service dogs, but they truly embrace the heart of our mission--to support people to live their best lives with their service dog at their side.

2018 Spirit of Volunteerism Award

Susquehanna Service Dogs would not be what it is without all of our dedicated volunteers. Our volunteers raise and sit our puppies, help train the dogs in advanced training, give demonstrations, make harnesses, maintain our kennel and property, help with team training and public access tests, and so much more.

This spirit of volunteerism started with our founder, Nancy Fierer, who served as our volunteer director for over 20 years. When Nancy retired, we couldn’t think of a better way to honor that legacy than by creating the Nancy and Robert Fierer Spirit of Volunteerism Award.

We’re pleased to announce that this year’s recipient of the award is Dr. Nancy Dreschel, who runs our puppy raising program at Penn State University.

Below is the presentation given by Director Pam Foreman at our annual Graduation and Celebration.

From Pam Foreman:

When an organization like ours has so many talented people dedicated to supporting its mission, it is challenging to identify the most worthy recipient of an award like this.  There are so many people deserving of it and once again we had great nominations. 

We want to say a special thanks to the three people who reviewed the nominations and chose this year’s recipient.  I know they had a hard job. Thank you to Samantha Jacoby, Nick Liermann, and Darrin Silbaugh.

It gives me great pleasure to announce Dr. Nancy Dreschel as the recipient of the second Annual Nancy and Robert Fierer Spirit of Volunteerism Award.

Dr. Dreschel – Nancy – is a Dr. of Veterinary Medicine and Professor of Animal Science at Penn State University.

She began her association with SSD several years ago and is the reason SSD is able to have a Campus Puppy Raising program at Penn State in State College, PA. Because of Nancy’s dedication and extraordinary hours of commitment to our program, we are able to have a strong base of interested, dedicated, and talented puppy raisers in that area. At any given time there are approximately 10 dogs being raised in State College. (Currently there are 11.) In fact, some of the puppies raised by that group of students are graduating tonight.

Nancy is the advisor for the Roar for More club, which is the club that was formulated to support SSD with raisers, education about service dogs, and fundraising efforts. Because of their presence and Nancy’s respected reputation, the club and SSD have become well-known in the area. This visibility has been instrumental for SSD regarding new raisers and fundraising efforts.

The first years of developing this puppy raising program program took quite a bit of blood, sweat, and tears until it was structured in a way that worked for everyone – communication from a distance, necessary support for both Nancy and the raisers and club, vet care, and so on. Nancy’s willingness to hang in there during the challenging times as we muddled through the collaboration is one of the reasons the program is so successful and strong today.

In addition to teaching weekly classes, she oversees special outings and also continues to teach classes through the summer for the raisers that stay in the area. She is the first responder for raisers’ vet concerns and nurtured a lasting and beneficial relationship with a vet clinic in the area who have continued to provide great care for our dogs at a greatly reduced fee.

Nancy also mentors the student raisers and gives them guidance as problems and issues come up while raising – and that guidance and mentoring ends up being in a variety of areas. The students raising at Penn State often express the benefit they get from being part of the program – responsibility, thinking beyond themselves, learning about disabilities, socialization that requires a degree of maturity while having a dog in training, and the ability to educate others about service dogs, persons with disabilities, and about SSD specifically.

Nancy is also the reason that SSD is involved with Dr. Allen, the Director of Mental Health Services, Center for the Protection of Children, Penn State Children’s Hospital and the project and research that Dr. Allen is conducting regarding the benefit of having dogs in counseling sessions for children. Nancy became involved with that study to do her own research on stress levels and the welfare of dogs providing their service in that type of setting.  She remains an integral part in the study, and alongside SSD, has developed a great partnership in this very important research.

Overall, Nancy is the type of person anyone would want on their team. She is personable – everyone likes Dr. D. She is willing to work out the glitches of processes to make things better because she so deeply believes in the work. She provides an enormous amount of hours to SSD’s mission in addition to her already busy schedule as a professor. She is a great resource and mentor for all of SSD’s Roar for More raisers, as well as a tremendous ambassador for SSD in the State College area and beyond.

Nancy has become an essential part of SSD and is deserving of being acknowledged for that work through this Spirit of Volunteerism Award.