Tracey & Guide Dogs of TX: Changing Lives Together

More than 20 years ago, I contacted Guide Dogs of Texas because I wanted to volunteer as a puppy raiser. They didn't have a puppy needing a raiser at the time, so that call led me down another path—volunteering with the TSA puppy program. Years later came Camp Bow Wow McKinney, and dogs continued to be an important part of how I served others.

And now, somehow, I've come full circle.

After leaving the corporate world, I was looking for an opportunity to do something meaningful and personal. Today, I have the privilege of working with Guide Dogs of Texas and supporting a mission I first reached out to more than two decades ago.

This time, I get to see firsthand what it takes to breed, raise and train a guide dog—and, more importantly, what that dog can mean to the person waiting for one.

So much of what we do every day requires little thought: walking into a grocery store, navigating a busy sidewalk, getting to work, crossing a street or simply going where we want to go when we want to go. For someone who is blind or visually impaired, that independence can require tremendous skill, confidence and support. A guide dog can become an extraordinary partner in making that possible.

That's why this year's Big Give is personal for me.

To my dog-loving friends, my friends who believe in serving others, and everyone who has followed my dog-filled journey over the years—I would love your help reaching my fundraising goal for Guide Dogs of Texas. Every gift, regardless of size, helps support the tremendous work that happens long before a guide dog and client ever take their first steps together.

Twenty-plus years later, I made it back to Guide Dogs of Texas. I'd be honored if you'd support this mission with me. ❤️🐾