Doggone Good Organization

If you’ve been following this blog, you know what I’ve been doing the past three weeks.  First, I learned how to be a guide dog partner.  Then, the two of us ventured out into the world as a guide dog team.  Now, it’s time to thank the people who made that possible.

Guide Dogs for the Blind is an amazing organization.  Every year, at their California and Oregon campuses, they equip about 350 people such as me with well-bred, immaculately trained guide dogs.  All of us are blind or legally blind, sightless or significantly visually impaired.  Each of us receives intensive training, while living at Guide Dogs for the Blind.

In the course of those two weeks, they provide us with a dog, a harness, a leash, food for the dog, food for us, nursing care, veterinary care, professional instruction and transportation to and from places where we can put our newly learned skills to work.

And all of this cost us nothing.  Zip.  Zilch.  Nada.  Not one red cent.  It’s all paid for by donations from people like you.  Those donations not only fund the program, they helped build a brand new, state of the art residence hall where we stayed during our training.  We had private rooms with private baths, a door from the hall, and a door out to the patio where there is a relieving area for the dog and paddocks where they can play.  It has a dining hall where the chef (who was once the summer road tour chef for the Rolling Stones) not only offered us great meals, but offered to make anything else we might want.  If we hadn’t been walking so much during our training, I would have gained twenty pounds.  There is also a laundry room with washers and dryers, plus a student lounge and an exercise room. 

When we graduated, we left with dog food, an allowance for wellness checks for the dogs, a kong for our dog to play with, tie downs, a fleece mat, and a grooming kit with two brushes, a comb, a toothbrush and doggie toothpaste.  That’s in addition to all the other equipment I listed earlier.

We also have a toll-free number we can call with any questions we have about our dogs. 

Did I mention all of this is free?

I am extremely grateful to Guide Dogs for the Blind.  I especially appreciate my instructor, Angie Ruiz, the class supervisor, Kristin Lucas, the nurses (Paula, Helen and Laurie – sorry if I forgot anyone), the chef, Paul, and his assistant, Sean, and the serving staff. 

I want to thank also the Bakers of Bakersfield who volunteered to raise my guide, Chase, when he was a puppy.  Margaret is now on her 26^th guide dog puppy, and I’m not sure she and her family really appreciate how valuable they are to people such as me.  Thanks also to my friends, Carol Conway and Sean Drummond, who encouraged me to get a guide dog when I was reluctant.

My most heartfelt gratitude to all of you.  I am only now discovering the depths of the gift you’ve given me.