Thank you to our generous June Graduate Sponsors…
“Congratulations to the June graduating class and guide teams. Healthy Vision Association is proud to support Guiding Eyes and all the great work you do.”
Healthy Vision Association Charity Fund
“We celebrate all of the graduates this day. We appreciate all of your perseverance to arrive at this point in your journey with Guiding Eyes. We dedicate our shared sponsorship of this particular graduation to the memory of Kate Fanti. She was an enthusiastic Guiding Eyes volunteer who brought the understanding of the important mission of Guiding Eyes to WCDNF. She brought Omar to a club meeting. We miss her and we believe that her giving, friendly manner helped with the preparation of the Guiding Eyes puppies. She often shared photos and anecdotes about her very special puppies at club meetings.”
Women’s Club Danbury/New Fairfield
Graduate Team: Terrence and Namath
About the Team: Namath, a male black Lab, is Terry’s first guide dog
Hometown: Saint Charles, Illinois
Guide Dog Mobility Instructor: Katharine Russell
Terry worked for many years in the hotel industry, with responsibilities that included front desk customer service and assistant management. Terry has 3 children, two daughters and a son, ranging in age from 14 to 6 years old, and he embraces the role of Dad!
How would you describe your guide dog? “Namath is a 2 ½ year old black Lab and he is amazing! He easily transitions from companion and playmate to putting on the harness and working. He is a quick study and has great instincts. Shortly after arriving home from training, Namath quickly learned to navigate construction impacting the sidewalks near my home. He recognized the hazards and adjusted his pace accordingly. We recently spent a night in a hotel and after being in the elevator only once, he had learned the route from the room to the exit.”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “My vision was declining, and my mobility instructor recommended applying for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes. I was impressed by the ease of the application process. Not a day goes by that I am not thankful for Namath. We get along great! Namath likes to be with me wherever I am in the house. He is very attentive, but never gets underfoot.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “Namath has immediately become part of my life. He fulfills two roles; he is an awesome guide dog and wonderful companion! With him, I can travel more quickly and confidently than with a cane. I recently went on a walk to get ice cream with my children. The kids followed Namath and me. At first, they were quick to alert me to hazards ahead, but soon witnessed first-hand how capable Namath is at guiding me. He amazes me and I trust him.”
Were there any training highlights? “I attended training at the Guiding Eyes campus and soon after arriving in my room, I found a letter the previous student had left for me. They shared some of the effort involved in training, but reassured me it is so worthwhile. They were right! I decided to leave the letter so the next student could benefit from their encouragement, as well. Namath is my first guide dog, and my instructor Katharine was extremely patient in teaching me all I needed to know. I can’t say enough about Guiding Eyes and Namath!”
Namath has a great love for life! He approached every day like it was going to be the best day ever. I loved how enthusiastic Namath was about everything. He made everyone smile and those who met him were sure he liked them best. He made amazing eye contact with people. Everyone commented on that. Namath came to work with me every single day. He has perfect “museum manners”! Even during the pandemic, while I was the only person in the building, he came with me and was great company. I’m so lucky to have raised him during that challenging time. And did I mention he was the most handsome guy ever?
Allison Weiss, Puppy Raiser of Namath
Guiding Eyes for the Blind is approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (C) (3) tax-exempt organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.
Guiding Eyes for the Blind Federal Identification Number (EIN) is 13-1854606.
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