15
Oct
2025

Laura Eitland Receives 2025 Spirit of Volunteerism Award

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A smiling woman in a blue patterned dress sitting on a wooden bench outdoors with two Labrador Retrievers, one yellow and one light brown.

Congratulations to Laura Eitland, the 2025 recipient of the Nancy and Robert Fierer Spirit of Volunteerism Award! Given annually, this award recognizes volunteers who serve as champions for SSD and its mission.

Volunteers are the heartbeat of Susquehanna Service Dogs, contributing time, energy, and skills to help make it possible for SSD to breed, raise, train, and place life-changing assistance dogs. Everything our volunteers do makes an impact.

“Laura is always promoting SSD in the community, looking to recruit new volunteers,” said Deb Tack, Executive Director of SSD. “She’s a steadfast supporter and advocate for people with disabilities and their assistance dogs.”

 

It All Started Thirteen Years Ago

Thirteen years ago, Laura learned about SSD when she had the opportunity to help socialize some of our youngest puppies. Shortly afterward, she decided to become a puppy sitter and her passion for Susquehanna Service Dogs continued to grow. When SSD Jade was career-changed for health reasons nine years ago, Laura adopted her and together, they joined SSD’s Ambassador Dog Program. She continued Jade’s training and became an Ambassador Team, giving demonstrations within the community and educating the public about Susquehanna Service Dogs and how assistance dogs change people’s lives. Then three years ago, she adopted retired breeding dog Cha-Cha, who now also works as an Ambassador Dog.

Over the past year, Laura has participated in over 30 demonstrations and meet and greets!

“I love the organization, I love the mission, and I love seeing the partners who get their dogs,” said Laura.

 

Memorable Moments from Volunteering

Some of her most memorable moments as a volunteer involve ways dogs have given people confidence within their lives. Before the pandemic, she and SSD Ambassador Jade were visiting a psychiatric unit to provide animal-assisted therapy. They stopped in one girl’s room, where her parents were also visiting, and asked if she would like to see Jade. Although the girl did not initially lift her head from where she was looking at the floor, her parents invited them in and encouraged Laura and Jade to interact. Jade rested her head in the girl’s lap and gave her a kiss. Soon the girl started talking to Jade and by the end of the visit, she looked Laura in the eye as she asked questions. Before Laura left, the girl told her mom she needed a dog like Jade.

Another time, Laura and Jade were doing a demonstration for a life skills class in a local school. At the end of the demonstration, students had the opportunity to come up one by one to see Jade. One student who communicates with few words was excited to interact with Jade. Laura cued her to do “lap” (putting the front half of her body in the student’s lap), and the dog gave him a kiss. He didn’t want Jade to leave, so when it was time, Laura handed him the leash to walk the dog to the door. His teacher repeated several times that the dog’s name is Jade, and when Laura took the leash back, the student looked down and said, “Jade.”

Laura also volunteers at Summer Camp, ready to step in, organize activities, and share her experience. “To see the campers grow from not knowing anything about service dogs – and sometimes even dogs – at the beginning of the week to being able to confidently work with a dog by the end is amazing,” she said.

 

Working Together with Purpose

Laura truly embodies what it means to be a voice and a volunteer to support the SSD mission of changing lives through assistance dogs.

“Come join us,” said Laura. “There are so many different ways you can volunteer – with or without the dogs. I have met so many people who I may never have met outside of SSD. It’s a community that cares, not just about the dogs but about each other. Everyone involved is working toward the same purpose.”

More information about volunteering with Susquehanna Service Dogs can be found here.