Don't "mind" the dog...he's with me

I heard something yesterday that I could not get out of my mind.   While attending a Rotary Club meeting in downtown New Bern, one of the members shared information about important events occurring on that date in history.  He told us that on this day, March 13, 1942, the Quartermaster Corps (QMC) of the United States Army began training dogs for the then newly established War Dog Program, or "K-9 Corps.”

Well over a million dogs served on both sides during World War I, carrying messages along the complex network of trenches and providing some measure of psychological comfort to the soldiers.  He also told us a little about these dogs that worked in mine detection.

Well, I thought he said MIND detection dogs. Truly.  And, I was so intrigued with this idea that it occupied my mind for much of my drive back to Raleigh.  Hmmm . . . mind detection dogs.  I thought it would be a great technique for us to employ at the Foundation! 

I could picture the possibilities of meeting with a donor, accompanied by my dog (let’s just call him Fred), which could later tell me what the donor was really thinking while we met.  Imagine the ramifications!  I could gain helpful feedback about our work, I could get some information about how to fine tune our message to prospective donors, and I could really understand what makes people tick! 

Well, since I have discovered that there really are not mind detection dogs, we are going to just rely on you to keep providing us with feedback.  We are here to listen, to learn from you and we want to ensure you are getting the information you need from us.  Throughout the next couple of months we will be reaching out with some online and phone surveys to gather additional information, and I hope you will let us know what you think or hope that we can improve. 

Or I could just bring Fred to my next meeting!

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