How Connection Built a Volunteer Community at WCC

If the “six degrees of separation” theory suggests we’re all connected through a handful of relationships, the community at Warrior Canine Connection (WCC) proves it might be even simpler: sometimes it only takes one puppy.

For many of WCC’s earliest volunteers, that connection started online—watching a litter of puppies on the Explore.org puppy cam. Viewers from across the country gathered in the chat, bonding over late-night puppy antics and a shared admiration for WCC’s mission to train service dogs alongside Veterans. Over time, those watchers became more than usernames. They became a community.

At the center of it all was WCC co-founder Molly Morelli, who regularly joined the chat to answer questions and connect with viewers.

“She was so open with talking to everyone through the chat for so long,” recalled WCC volunteer Ericka Johanek. “People knew each other by their usernames.”

One of those usernames belonged to Alice Belthoff, who discovered the puppy cam in 2012 while watching a litter affectionately known as Holly’s Half Dozen. Like many others, she became a regular—helping gather questions and building connections that extended far beyond the screen.

That spirit of engagement quickly took on a name. One day, Molly jokingly referred to the devoted watchers as “Extreme Puppy Watchers,” or EPWs—and the nickname stuck.

What began online soon became something more. Viewers started visiting WCC’s original Brookeville campus for “puppy petting,” eager to meet the dogs—and each other—in person.

Others followed a similar path. Ericka, who discovered the puppy cam through family, made the trip with her children after chatting with Molly online.

“We drove up on a Saturday morning,” she said. “That first day, we came as strangers. But it didn’t take long before we felt like part of something bigger.”

Soon, that sense of belonging spread. Volunteers like Lee Snyder, BettyAnn Marrone, Julie Hansen, Jean Wolfe, Sandy Rosenberg, Karen Ball and countless others stepped in to help in meaningful ways—from launching the EPWs’ Facebook community to securing materials that helped transform a garage into what would become WCC’s Puppy Enrichment Center.

For many, those early experiences became life changing. What started as a simple visit or shared moment online evolved into lasting friendships, new passions and a deep commitment to WCC’s mission.

In 2013, that growing community came together for the first-ever volunteer “Paw-ty.” Despite pouring rain, more than 100 people traveled to Brookeville to celebrate the connections they had formed through WCC.

That same spirit carried into WCC’s first service dog graduation, where volunteers helped cook, organize and honor the life-changing partnerships between Veterans and their service dogs.

Over the years, the EPWs have remained a vital part of WCC’s volunteer network. While involvement has evolved, the relationships have endured—often becoming a source of strength during life’s most challenging moments.

For EPW Sandy Goga, that connection became deeply personal.

“Losing loved ones left a space in my life that felt impossible to fill, but WCC and the EPWs brought me companionship and connection when I needed it most,” said Goga. “The friendships I’ve built through this community have been a lifeline, they’ve given me strength, purpose and a way forward.”

Stories like Sandy’s reflect what has always set this community apart: a shared purpose that extends well beyond the puppies themselves.

Today, WCC’s volunteer family stretches far beyond those early puppy cam watchers. But the heart of it remains unchanged—people brought together to support Veterans through the healing power of service dogs.

And during Volunteer Appreciation Month, WCC celebrates the thousands of volunteers whose connections, whether through a puppy cam, a campus visit or a shared mission,  continue to make that impact possible.

Because sometimes, all it takes is one small connection to change countless lives.
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