by Guiding Eyes graduate Jywanza Maye (for Jane Sobel Klonsky’s Project Unconditional) Bentley means independence, confidence and companionship. I became blind at 14 and got my first guide dog at 17. Before I had Bentley, I didn’t travel much, hardly went out and was afraid to go out alone. However, since getting a guide dog,… Continue reading What Bentley Means To Me
by Tom Panek, Guiding Eyes CEO Gus and I flew to Las Vegas last week to participate in the American Council of the Blind’s “Let’s Make a Deal” conference. The annual gathering attracted nearly 1,500 blind and visually impaired people, including entrepreneurs, students, teachers, rehabilitation professionals, attorneys, guide dog schools, parents and the Guiding Eyes… Continue reading Adventures of Gus: Part 4 – Viva Las Vegas
by Guiding Eyes grad Kathy Nimmer, for Jane Sobel Klonsky’s Project Unconditional Elias is the fearless beacon in my world. From the moment he walked into my life as my third guide dog, he has been unflappable. Through times of blessing and challenge, he has remained calm and stable. Though our partnership daily brings us… Continue reading Project Unconditional: Kathy & Elias
by June 2014 graduate Danielle Burton Willa is my first guide dog and she has already begun to change my life. I applied for a guide dog because I felt that traveling with a cane was too slow and time consuming. I was also very nervous when crossing streets by myself because I am deaf-blind… Continue reading I felt free for the first time
by June 2014 graduate Elaine Mara Wow! What an adventure this has been! I am certainly not the person I was when I arrived at Guiding Eyes just three short weeks ago. In those weeks, I transformed from a timid, fearful traveler into a confident young woman and can walk with pride in myself and… Continue reading Forward
Hundreds of people have come through our doors over the past 12 months. Here are some of their stories. Since they met in July 2013, Sofia Gallo and Guiding Eyes guide dog Karleen have completed their freshman year at Princeton University. While the pretty black Lab slept through most of her handler’s political science classes,… Continue reading Powerful Stories
Dear Friends: My name is Bill Vignola and my dog is Warren and we graduated from Guiding Eyes last November. This was a tremendous experience for me to witness firsthand; I was amazed at the dedication that everyone has at Guiding Eyes. My granddaughter, Hadley, 10 years old, has spoken to me for months about… Continue reading Raising money for grandpa's guide dog school
Guiding Eyes is pleased to announce that Jane Russenberger, Senior Director of Canine Development, has received the International Guide Dog Federation’s (IGDF) Ken Lord Award. Presented at the 2014 IGDF Seminar in Tokyo, Japan, the prestigious award is IGDF’s highest honor. Russenberger is the first female recipient as well as the first honoree outside of… Continue reading Jane Russenberger receives Ken Lord Award
Hitachi Metals Ltd. Community Action Committee (CAC) awarded Guiding Eyes a $10,000 grant for the general support of its Sights on College Program, a training curriculum specifically for adolescents who are blind or visually impaired. “While visiting Guiding Eyes I had the opportunity to learn about the organization’s work and see firsthand the difference guide… Continue reading Thank you Hitachi!
by graduate Deni Elliott It starts with the click of a toenail on the wood floor next to my bed. A half-hour before the alarm, Alberta starts our morning ritual, tapping in place. Then, she lets out a loud Labby yawn, a snort and a shake. “Okay, you can come up,” I mumble through my… Continue reading The Language of Love
