BOARDMAN, Ohio – Friday marked a bittersweet day at Window World Youngstown.
After roughly a year of coming to the business with accounting director Trish Powers, Liberty, a veteran’s service dog-in-training, worked her last day. She’s off to America’s VetDogs’ training center. It’s a national nonprofit in Smithtown, N.Y., where Liberty will complete the next phase of her preparation to work as a service dog for a veteran.
“It’s bittersweet in the fact that I knew it was coming, and it feels like it was just yesterday that I went and picked her up,” Powers said. “But at the same time I went into this knowing that she was going to go back. It’s still tough. I still get a little teary eyed.”
Still, Powers likens it to sending her daughter to college which she did a few years ago. Powers prepared them both for the next stage of their lives.
Liberty will work for a few months with a trainer at the training facility. The trainer will assess the dog, determining the best fit and training her accordingly. Then she’ll be matched with a veteran who she will help regain independence.
“One thing they just told me recently is that they pride themselves on being better than eHarmony when they match up their dogs with the vets,” Powers chuckled.
After completing training, Liberty will graduate and go live with her veteran. Powers, as well as others from Window World, plan to attend the graduation.
She expects ugly crying.
“I’m going to be making sure I have very good waterproof mascara,” Powers said.
She hopes the veteran matched with the Liberty will want to keep in touch.
The Southern Boulevard, Boardman, Window World location, owned by the Moran family, was selected by Window World Inc. as one of two of its 220 franchises to raise a puppy for America’s VetDogs through the Window World Military Initiative.
The organization was looking for people who were willing to have a puppy for an extended period. The family supported the idea, and Powers was asked if she was interested.
She’s owned at least one dog for the last 20 years and comes from a family of veterans. After a brief conversation with her husband, they agreed. They brought Liberty, a black labrador/golden retriever mix home when the dog was 11 weeks old. She’s moving on at about one year old.
Powers took Liberty, who at 60 pounds has finally grown into her long legs, to children’s athletic events and dance recitals, grocery stores, NASCAR races, media appearances and community fairs, getting the dog acclimated to different situations and a variety of people.
Liberty loves them all. Despite her young age and a breed mix known for high energy, she sits calmly waiting for direction and gives her paw, sits, stays, lies down and heals when prompted.
The dog was a popular member of the Window World staff. Even workers on a construction project smiled and greeted the dog when she arrived for the day, Powers said.
She’s grateful to work for a company that supports veterans, children’s hospitals and other causes that are important to her as well.
“It’s one of the reasons I’ve been here for 19 years,” Powers said, also pointing to the family atmosphere and the Moran family’s Christian values.
The family supported Powers training the dog and bringing her to work.
Mandi Fluck, a Moran family member and the Window World Youngstown marketing director, said having Liberty in the office every day has been a joy.
“We’ve all watched her grow, learn and blossom into such a well-behaved and loving dog,” Fluck said in a news release. “She’s going to be an incredible companion for the veteran she is ultimately matched with. We can’t wait to see where her next adventure takes her.”
Powers knows Liberty will do great things.
“I’m extremely proud of everything she’s going to accomplish,” she said.
Pictured at top: Trish Powers, Window World Youngstown accounting director, sits with Liberty, a dog she’s been training to serve a veteran through America’s VetDogs.