Retired Businessman Finds Purpose Raising Service Dogs for the Blind
Jerry Burns, a 72-year-old retired entrepreneur who ran wholesale businesses for 53 years, shares his experience volunteering with Guiding Eyes for the Blind. After scaling back his work in his late 60s, he began volunteering at a breeding kennel, drawn to German Shepherds. Upon full retirement, he became a puppy raiser for Geneva, a German Shepherd puppy fathered by a dog he previously fostered. Burns values the structure, routine, and community the program provides, connecting with other puppy raisers and learning from visually impaired service dog users. He knows Geneva will move on to formal training after 14-18 months but is already considering raising another puppy. The essay highlights how volunteer work has given him purpose and a new social network in retirement.
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