Donna Chunko: 25 Years and Counting

(Editor’s note: we often profile new clients in this section of FidelcoNews. This time, we are proud to tell you about Donna Chunko, a Fidelco client of 25 years and a valued member of the Fidelco family.)

Donna Chunko and Fidelco go way back. As a matter of fact, she says that “Ellie,” her first Fidelco guide dog, was the 12th dog to be placed by the organization. Since then, she has partnered with three more Fidelco guide dogs; an indication of how strong her ties are to the Fidelco family. “They are such a dedicated, wonderful, hardworking team,” she said. “And they have given me a life that I couldn’t have imagined otherwise.”

Growing up, Donna had limited vision but began to lose it as a young adult. By the time her children were in grade school, she had lost most of her sight. “I didn’t want to be left out of my kids’ lives, so I applied for a Fidelco guide dog,” Donna says. “Within six months, I couldn’t believe the independence that Ellie gave me. Fidelco has become such a huge part of my life.”
When she joined the Fidelco family, Donna was impressed, and perhaps a little intimidated at first, by Charlie Kaman, Fidelco’s founder. “But his friendliness and the positive attitude that he had toward blind people and their dogs really made me feel welcome,” she said. “And Robbie (Mr. Kaman’s wife and Fidelco co-founder) is such a wonderful person. I don’t think that Fidelco would have been successful without her. She has spent most of her life taking care of these fantastic dogs.”

It didn’t take long for Donna to get deeply involved with Fidelco, beyond her status as a client. In addition to volunteering at various Fidelco events, she served for thirteen years as leader of the first graduate council. She also remains an outspoken advocate for Fidelco and has helped spread the word about the organization throughout New England. As she says, “I can’t imagine my life without a Fidelco guide dog.”

Fidelco’s guide dog users span the decades. We are proud to count Donna and seven other clients as part of the Fidelco family for 25 years or more. We hope they are with us for another 25 years.