From Scholarship Recipient to Board of Directors

By Megan Waceken

Erica Way is a valued member of the Canines for Disabled Kids Board of Directors. Her bond with the CDK organization goes back to when she was a young teen. “I have a soft spot for them. They’ve helped me in the past,” she said. It was by chance that a CDK advertisement captured the attention of
Erica’s mom and prompted the course Erica’s life would lead. “When I was 13, my mom heard
an advertisement about CDK on the radio. They worked toward helping kids in need. I toured
there and they helped me find my first service dog,” she said. CDK gave Erica a scholarship.
That went toward uniting her with Baker, her first service dog. Since the first encounter with
CDK, Erica has strived with a service dog by her side. “They’ve helped me in so many ways
to be independent.”

Erica recognized CDK’s executive director, Kristin Hartness, during one of the events
through programs that CDK is affiliated with. “We started talking and she asked me to come
join and see what being a board member is like,” Erica said. Running into Kristin over two
years ago was a sign for Erica, and she’s been donating her effort to the cause ever since. “I
like them. I like what CDK is about. I like what they do,” she said, “It has been so good to see
that other side of CDK. I started out being on the receiving end. Now I’m on that other side as
a board member trying to help other kids like I was to be able to afford a service dog.”
For the future, Erica hopes to see CDK expand by using social media to connect to more
children in need. “I wish that they were more known. Put them out on social media. They are
a small group. But they are doing big things,” she said. Erica is a part of the difference that
CDK stands for. “They are the whole package. They give scholarships to families and kids.
Also, if you’re not a child and you are looking for information, they don’t turn you away. They
know about all kinds of organizations all over the U.S., depending on what your needs are.
They are a good resource because otherwise that information really isn’t easy to find,” she
said.