The morning started with a final class on responsibilities to our dog and CCI, public access and travel. CCI staff in the photo below: Jen in the back, front row, from left: Ellen, Laura Ann, Stacey, Lisa, Lauren, Jessica and Flora.
Rickie Robinson, Lucah's Puppy Raiser, loved the framed photo I gave her and will proudly display it in her home. Rickie gave me a wonderful Puppy Scrapbook filled with photos and mementos.
A big surprise was that Rickie, her husband and I were selected to be interviewed on News 12 Networks television, the largest regional news network serving NY, NJ and CT with local news 24-hours a day.
After the TV interview, Rickie, her husband Wil and daughter Raine, Lucah and I joined the others and their dogs at the delicious Graduation Lunch buffet. Everyone, including the dogs, were perfectly behaved!
Graduation was held in a Marriott ballroom. It was filled with Puppy Raisers of our dogs, dogs entering the next Advanced Training Class and dogs who are being released for adoption as well as us graduates with family and friends, CCI staff, donors and volunteers. Oh, and lots and lots of dogs! Lisa, Lucah's Trainer, sat with me for the audience picture below.
Bernice and Floyd, friends of mine on Long Island and dog lovers, came to cheer me on. They were touched by the Puppy Raising Program and wished they were able to participate.
We saw two fabulous Slide Shows - one of pictures of our dogs' growing up months and the other of us during Training. Cortney's reading of our personal comments about what the program means to us was spellbinding. Even more touching was the proud moment when Puppy Raisers turned the leashes over to the graduates on stage, one by one.
Tomorrow, I pack everything back up in the van plus tons of new things including a large dog. Lucah and I will take the ferry from Long Island over to CT and then make the long drive back home.
Check back for more posts about the journey home and a new life with Lucah!
Photos
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