Leader Dogs for the Blind
Update - Issue 2, 2014
Celebrating 75 Years in 2014
Greetings!
Celebrations are well underway for the 75th Anniversary of
Leader Dogs for the Blind. Our Open House on May 3 was
fantastic and far exceeded expectations! Thank you to everyone
who was able to attend this exciting event! Most of the 1,000–
1,500 visitors were here for the first time and without exception,
every guest I spoke with was thoroughly enjoying all the
activities, had wonderful questions and wanted to learn about
Leader Dog. I was even able to meet Leader Dog Client Charles
Hisner who drove all the way from Cincinnati, Ohio strictly for
the event and I was able to personally sign the ownership
transfer paperwork for his Leader Dog, Mason.
In addition to our Open House, many other things are
currently happening here at Leader Dog. As this goes to print, we
are preparing to say goodbye to our last class of this fiscal year.
This group is representative of our typical classes—people of many
ages, from many states and with diverse backgrounds.
July 1 marks the beginning of the final year of our three-year
strategic plan. Key initiatives of the plan, which are all moving
forward, include delivering superior client experiences in all
programs; breeding, raising and training dogs that meet LDB
quality standards to meet annual client goals; achieving a
superior level of team and volunteer engagement; and ensuring
that philanthropy provides financial sustainability to support longterm operations and strategic plan initiatives. The project of
redesigning our current kennel into a Canine Development Center
falls within these initiatives, and that is also proceeding as
planned. Additionally, we have begun working on our next
strategic plan, which will guide us from 2015 through 2018.
Even though things are really “hopping” here, please know
that we think of you, our loyal friends and supporters, each and
every day. We are so appreciative of you and your continued
support of Leader Dogs for the Blind. Thank you for all that you do
to help us make our mission a reality. Please have a safe and
enjoyable summer!
Sincerely,
Susan M. Daniels
President and CEO
Photo: Our 75th anniversary logo is shown. It has a white 75
inside a circle with our four main colors (red, blue, teal and
yellow). Underneath the 75 it says years 1939-2014 with the
tagline “Setting our sights on the future.”
Photo: Charles Hisner and LD Mason stand next to Sue
Daniels at Leader Dog’s Open House
Open House Celebrates 75 Years of Community Support
On May 3, we opened our doors to the public to showcase our 75year history and to thank the local community for their many
decades of support. Attendees were able to tour our kennel, learn
about the programs and services we offer our clients, and meet
LDB staff, clients and canines.
Though the weather wasn’t the best (rain and wind with a
little bit of hail thrown in just for fun) we estimate that attendance
ranged from 1,000–1,500 people.
Photo: There are three different photos of yellow labs playing
on and with toys in an outdoor enclosure. One guest is taking a
picture of the puppies captioned “It’s no surprise that the
Labrador retriever puppies were a big draw.”
Photo: A woman sits and pets a golden retriever in harness
while talking to two guests captioned “Several Leader Dog clients,
including Debbie Dayton with her Leader Dog, Patrick were on
hand to demonstrate how their dogs guide them around
obstacles and share stories about how their dogs have enriched
their lives.”
Photo: A young woman paints the face of a young girl while a
young boy with his face painted sits and colors a picture captioned
“Some of the best questions came from the many, and we mean
many, kids in attendance who were curious about blindness and
about our dogs. They also enjoyed getting their faces painted to
look like puppies and coloring!”
Photo: A woman takes a picture of Guide Dog Mobility
Instructor and Team Supervisor Phil Griffin walking a black lab in
harness around an obstacle captioned “Guests enjoyed being able
to see close-up how our dogs are trained, and had hundreds of
questions to ask our guide dog mobility instructors about their
jobs.”
Letters from our Alumni
I have a wonderful dog, Hunnie, and in just a few weeks we will
be graduating from Defiance College. She has been so much
help and without her I know going to classes would have been
difficult. So before I get even busier with graduation, I WANT
TO SAY THANK YOU FOR HUNNIE.
Lora Armstrong - Facebook post on March 30, 2014
Photo: A yellow lab in harness lays on the floor in a black cap
and gown captioned “LD Hunnie at Lora’s college graduation”
During our 75th Anniversary Open House, a family
approached the orientation & mobility table—a smiling mother,
two beautiful daughters and some grandkids. One daughter, who
had her mother on her elbow, was intently looking at and
discussing all the canes on the table with her mother. Her
mother listened with a kind smile and shook her head no. The
daughter then looked up at me with a desperate look on her
face. I shot her a smile and then turned to her mother for the
sell. I showed her several canes with varying cane tips. She held
them, even rolled one on the floor a few times before handing it
back to me. I offered her the cane to keep—she refused. I then
looked at the daughter and told her if her mother changed her
mind, we would be here to help.
The daughter told me that her mother had been blind for
quite some time and refused services. They knew she needed
some cane training in order to get a dog, so she and her sister
thought they’d bring her to the Open House. Her mother tried to
back out that morning, but they had convinced her that it would
be worth it. We shook hands and they left.
About 20 minutes later, I looked up to see the daughter’s
face beaming—her mother still on her arm. She said ecstatically,
“She changed her mind, she wants the cane!” Thrilled, I rushed
to the other side of the table, shook her hand and gave her the
first lesson of opening and closing the folding cane. Next, she
learned to use constant contact, navigating around some
obstacles (chairs) and locating the back wall of the building. She
continued to practice and every time I tried to step in and offer
help she said, “No, I want to do this by myself.” She also began
discussing the route from her front door to the mailbox—a route
she was lost on for 30 minutes one day. I explained the
importance of placing a radio in the window to keep her oriented
which, along with the cane, will keep her from getting lost again.
She left with the cane, a smile on her face and a very happy
family.
The daughter called the following week for an application
to our Accelerated Orientation & Mobility Training.
AJ Walker, Leader Dog Orientation & Mobility Instructor
Hello to Everyone at Leader Dog,
Just a note to update you all on how Gracie Mae and I are
doing in our new and everyday exciting life. I can never thank
everyone enough for changing my life by matching me with
Gracie Mae.
Gracie is more than just a Leader Dog, she’s my partner,
my best friend, my smile every day, my comfort, my love. I
can never imagine a life without her now. We have done more
in the last six months than I did in the five years before I got
her.
Going to speak at a school was a very scary and exciting
day for us. We talked to kids in K-4th grade (about 200 kids,
teachers and all others who could sneak in to peek at Leader
Dog Gracie). When I heard all the kids coming into the gym
they were so loud, but by the time I started talking you could
hear a pin drop. My mother-in-law told me that when I started
my presentation the kids listened with such interest and
excitement. When I asked if there were any questions, every
single hand went up. I think this show could have gone on for
hours but the principal had to call time after an hour or so.
Gracie is such a pro. She surprises me every day and
always wants to learn, just like the kids.
We talk to many people who want to know about Leader
Dogs for the Blind and what you’ve all done for this girl from
the farm!!! Thanks again to everyone at Leader Dog.
Kim Becker
Ivy Green and I arrived home yesterday afternoon after our 26
days of training. After a home orientation, pet introduction and
lots of sleep, we did our very first route at home today. The
feeling of walking my own neighborhood with FREEDOM is
amazing. I cannot thank you guys enough! Thank you to the
instructors, the resident assistant and cleaning staff, the O&M
specialists, kitchen staff, puppy raisers and breeding hosts, and
anyone not coming to my very tired mind at the moment...
absolutely everyone is amazing! I will never forget you and
could never thank you all enough.
Thank you for giving me the gift of freedom and
independence again. It’s been so very long.
Elaine Lubosch - Facebook post on April 11, 2014
A Day at Leader Dogs for the Blind By Cheryl Sacrates
Friday, May 30, 2014
Did you ever wonder what happens at Leader Dog on a daily
basis? The short answer is—a lot! Just look at a few of the things
that happened around campus on Friday, May 30.
Photo: A dark-haired woman passes a phone to a taller blonde
woman captioned “Residential Custodian Angela passes the
emergency phone and pager to Residential Assistant Kim in the
morning along with updating her on any happenings with the
clients in class.”
Photo: A blond woman mixes marshmallow and rice cereal in
a bowl with gloved hands captioned “In our kitchen, Cook Stella
makes rice crispy treats for an afternoon snack for clients.”
Photo: Three people are in the entrance to the kennel lobby
mopping the floor and cleaning the doors captioned “Maureen,
Mike and Roxane of the facilities team clean up the kennel lobby
prior to opening to the public.”
Photo: A dark-haired woman reaches into a wooden medicine
cabinet on the wall captioned “Dog Care Supervisor Sue checks
the pills and dosages for any dogs needing medication.”
Photo: A woman stands outside on pea gravel with a black lab
who has a cone on his head captioned “Carol in puppy care takes
Murphy (a dog in training who had double elbow surgery) out to
“park” and stretch his legs. Puppy care takes care of puppies,
breeding stock dogs and other dogs [retired, career changed, etc.]
who need special attention and care.”
Photo: Two grey-haired gentlemen stand next to a kennel.
One scoops food into a bowl while the other looks at a chart
captioned “Puppy Care Volunteers Eric Malloy and Dennis Chrzan
check the food chart before preparing the puppies’ first meal of the
day. Volunteers also clean puppy runs, wash dishes and toys, do
laundry and walk breeding stock dogs.”
Photo: Two young women stand in a hallway with coffee in
hand captioned “Amanda Smith (guest O&M specialist from
Topeka, KS) chats with Erica, manager of extended services,
before going downtown to learn about guide dogs and GPS while
Erica headed up to her office to work on her budget.”
Photo: A yellow lab sits next to a young lady in shorts
captioned “Jenny and other guide dog mobility instructors load
dogs in basic training on the truck to take them to downtown
Rochester for training. Each dog must sit before entering the
vehicle.”
Photo: A woman in a yellow shirt stands over a flower bed
with a canister in one hand and a sprayer in the other captioned
“Volunteer Master Gardener Liz Berkheiser tends to our flower
beds around campus.”
Photo: A young woman in a grey hoodie walks on the
sidewalk toward the residence building with a coated German
shepherd captioned “Some of our staff at Leader Dog also
volunteer their time in other departments. Jennifer works in dog
care and also volunteers once a week in client services. Here she
heads to client services with her newly adopted career changed
dog, Feather.”
Photo: Two grey-haired gentlemen walk next to each other.
One holds onto a yellow lab in harness as a vehicle approaches
captioned “GDMI Randy walks alongside a client and his new
Leader Dog for their first traffic-checks. Vehicles are typically
driven by GDMIs.”
Photo: A young woman holds a yellow lab in front of her on
an examination table captioned “Dr. Wilson evaluates a puppy
before taking her over to Pawsitive Steps Rehab for some therapy
during her lunch break.”
“Did someone say lunch?”
Photo: A dark-haired woman in a red smock walks next to a
table filled with people while their dogs lay on the floor captioned
“Food Services Aide Reyna makes sure the clients get what they
need as they gather in the dining room for three meals a day
during their stay. Today, clients were served tuna salad with fruit
and French bread for lunch.”
Photo: Three women sit facing each other in a blue office
while a golden retriever sleeps on the floor captioned “Beth, Carla
and Kathleen of Lions engagement discuss Lions summer visits
while Beth’s dog, Kipper, takes a nap on the floor.”
Photo: Two women walk with a black lab across a street in
the front while another group of women walk with a golden
retriever a bit further back captioned “GDMIs Debbie and Jill take
Pro Seminar guests (O&M specialists on campus to learn about
guide dogs and GPS) on a blindfold walk to experience traveling
with a Leader Dog.”
Photo: A grey-haired woman in a Leader Dog shirt sits on a
blue seat with a golden retriever puppy in front of her captioned
“Puppy Raiser Nancy Colombo waits in the lobby with the current
dog she is raising, Future Leader Dog Ripley, to get his regularly
scheduled vaccinations from the veterinarian.”
Photo: Two gentlemen lift a cart out of a white van captioned
“Facilities team members Dave and Arnold unload a gardening cart
from the downtown facility.”
Photo: A lab/golden cross peeks his head out from a nook in
the corner captioned “Future Leader Dog Kellen rests in a little
nook at the reception desk and practices being calm in a work
environment.”
Photo: A young dark-haired woman kneels next to a statue of
a German shepherd while holding a black lab captioned “Puppy
Raiser Hannah picked up her first Future Leader Dog.”
Class 14-10 By Cheryl Sacrates
Introducing Our Most Recent Guide Dog Class
As you read this article, the most recent guide dog class (class
14-10) has just left campus after training for 26 days with their
new Leader Dogs. These clients arrived on May 25 and were
instructed by Team 4 (Phil Griffin, Randy Horn, Linda Fisher, Sue
Hackman, Kathryn Roberts and Tina Vinokurow). These 18 clients
accomplished a rigorous schedule empowering them with lifelong
skills for independent travel.
Name
State
Kenneth Whitt and Leader Dog Kasey
Indiana
Instructor
Linda Fisher
Kasey’s information:
Breed
Black Labrador retriever
Puppy Raiser Kim Christenson
“Kasey will give me greater mobility so I can travel at night and
go through crowds without being paranoid.”
“Even the smallest donation given has made a major milestone
in someone’s life for their independence—and for your gift and
compassion—a heartfelt thanks.”
Photo: Ken Whitt walks with his new Leader Dog Kasey on
campus. It is a bright sunny day and you can see the grass and
trees next to the sidewalk.
Photo: Ken Whitt rests on a bench on campus and gives Leader
Dog Kasey a big hug.
Photo: A group of instructors sit on a couch and smile
captioned “Team 4 Guide Dog Mobility Instructors (GDMIs)
Sue Hackman, Apprentice Tina Vinokurow, Supervisor Phil
Griffin, Apprentice Kathryn Roberts and Linda Fisher, not pictured:
Randy Horn”
Photo: A group of clients sit on a couch with their dogs in the
sit or down position captioned “Kenneth Whitt and LD Kasey, black
lab (puppy raiser: Kim Christenson); William Sillyman and LD Q,
golden retriever (puppy raiser: Mary St. Clair), Francis William
Lovett III and LD Tanker, yellow lab (puppy raiser: Ray Ziegler);
James Baker and LD Newton, yellow lab (puppy raiser: Debbie
Boynton); Ernest Jay Rasmussen and LD Dixie, yellow lab (puppy
raiser: Heather McLaughlin); Deborah Barrowcliff and LD Angel,
black lab (puppy raiser: Christopher Eddington); not pictured:
Sharon Coverstone and LD Winston Churchill (puppy raiser: Mike
and Carol Modarski)”
Name
Francis William Lovett III and Leader Dog Tanker
State
Indiana
Instructor
Kathryn Roberts
Tanker’s information:
Breed
Yellow Labrador retriever
Puppy Raiser Ray Ziegler
“This place is 110% beautiful and does so much good for people.
Leader Dog is the second oldest school, but it’s #1! Tanker will
make my life more simple—simpler to get around and I’ll be
able to take longer walks and get out more.”
Photo: Francis lays on the carpet in the residence next to his new
Leader Dog Tanker. He is petting LD Tanker and looks as though
he is telling him a great story.
Name
James Russell Baker and Leader Dog Newton
State
New York
Instructor
Kathryn Roberts
Newton’s information:
Breed
Yellow Labrador retriever
Puppy Raiser Debbie Boynton
“Newton will increase my ability to travel independently and
adapt to new environments. He will make travel in big cities and
in public easier. Newton will also bridge some social gaps since
I don’t look blind.”
Photo: James kneels behind his new Leader Dog Newton and hugs
him from behind with a big smile on his face.
Photo: A group of clients sit with their dogs sitting in front of
them while two ladies stand behind the group captioned “Meet Our
Spanish Clients (front row): Miguel Angel Martin Castilla and LD
Riley, black lab (puppy raiser: Gary Kirchner); Juan Jose Ramos
Jerez and LD Essie, black lab (puppy raiser: Jennifer Slivka); Laia
Plana Alabau and LD Sklar, black lab (puppy raiser: Marrissa
Baney), Jose Fernando Valenzuela Gonzalez and LD Albia, black
lab (puppy raiser: James Collins); Jordi Salido Redondo and LD
Spirit, black lab (puppy raiser: Kenneth Medley); (back row)
Interpreter Maria Perez Perez; GDMI Sue Hackman”
Photo: A group of clients sit on the couch with their dogs in a
sit or down position captioned “Michael Peterson and LD Lillian,
black lab (puppy raiser: Timothy Pittman); Terra Peterson and LD
Sedona, yellow lab (puppy raiser: Gregory and Pam Wagner);
Valerie Caskey and LD Austen, yellow lab (puppy raiser: Rose
Czech); Kenneth Hagemann and LD Snoopy, yellow lab (puppy
raiser: Charles Westfall); Gertrude Kolodzieski and LD Danika,
golden retriever (puppy raiser: Kevin and Ann Storberg); Frank
Long and LD Peachie, black lab (puppy raiser: Stephen and Linda
Tillinghast)”
Name
Gertrude Kolodzieski and Leader Dog Danika
State
Pennsylvania
Instructor
Kathryn Roberts
Danika’s information:
Breed
Golden retriever
Puppy Raiser Kevin & Ann Storberg
“I’ve had Leader Dogs for 24 years and my life has made a 180
degree turn. I went from being dependent on other people to just
saying ‘Let’s go girl!’ and harnessing up my dog and going. Having
a dog has kept me young. My dog is a lifeline, companion, best
friend and the key to my own self-worth and dignity.”
Photo: Gertrude walks with her new Leader Dog Danika on
campus next to a fence. It is a beautiful sunny, yet windy day and
you can see Gertrude’s hair blowing in the wind.
Legacy Society
Creating a provision for Leader Dogs for the Blind in your estate
plans is a true partnership.
This prestigious society was established to recognize donors
who have included Leader Dogs for the Blind in their financial or
estate plans.
You can join our Legacy Society by naming Leader Dogs for
the Blind:
• In your will or trust.
• As a remainder beneficiary of an IRA or other retirement
account.
• As a beneficiary of a life insurance policy.
• As a remainder beneficiary of a charitable gift annuity or trust.
• As lead beneficiary of a charitable lead trust.
Whether or not you choose to join the Legacy Society, your
future gift will help to ensure that Leader Dog will be able to
continue to provide increased independence to people who are
blind or Deaf-Blind.
Please contact Roberta Trzos, CFRE, director of personal
giving at 248/659.5014 to learn more about the Legacy Society.
New Legacy Society Members
Philip and Phyllis Krebs
Dr. Hal Learman
Charles A. Pokriefka, Jr.
Lions Brian and Patricia Sandnes
Mission Moment
“I think Mickey will help with the safety issue and my confidence.
Also, when I went out with a cane, I always felt jittery. When
you walk with a cane, you stand out. With the dog, people don’t
shove you to the side as the ‘poor blind man.’”
Kevin Perrine with his first Leader Dog, Mickey (chocolate
lab)(class 14-09)
Follow Us Online
By Jen Wilkinson
One of the best places to find current, personal stories from some
of the many individuals—our clients, donors, puppy raisers, team
members and others—who are part of Leader Dog is our Facebook
page at facebook.com/leaderdogsfortheblind. Not only can you
read about and view pictures of the people and dogs in the Leader
Dog community, but you can join in the fun as well! Since our
Facebook page is a gathering place for a wide variety of people
who care about Leader Dog, it is an excellent place to ask
questions (volunteers, team members and supporters are almost
always on hand to answer), congratulate clients as they graduate
each month, and share your own experiences with the community
(dog pictures are especially popular!).
For brief updates on Leader Dog events; news about us, guide
dogs and the community of people who are blind; and tidbits about
the goings-on here on campus or wherever Leader Dog team
members are around the world, you can follow us on Twitter as
well at twitter.com/Leader_Dog.
Only interested in pictures? Visit our Flickr page at
flickr.com/leaderdog to see photos of events here on campus
and team photos of our clients and Leader Dogs going back to
2009.
Photo: A young woman holds a German shepherd puppy on
a boat as he looks into the distance captioned “FLD Draco
recently got to go for a fun ride on a sailboat with his puppy
raisers, Maggie Stach and Sam Smith.”
Celebrating 75 Years of Local Support
By Brad McKenna
On May 9, Leader Dogs for the Blind held a business breakfast for
local community leaders and business professionals to celebrate
their continued support over the past 75 years.
The morning included remarks from Bryan Barnett, Mayor of
Rochester Hills and L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland County
Executive. They shared messages on the topics of a city and a
community of inspiration.
Leader Dog CEO Sue Daniels presented awards to three local
business leaders who have been staunch Leader Dog supporters
for many years—Bill Fox (Bill Fox Chevrolet), Russ Shelton
(Shelton Buick GMC) and the late Roy Rewold (Frank Rewold and
Son, Inc.).
LDB Client Jim Platzer and Brad McKenna, LDB director of
corporate relations, shared examples of how Leader Dog has
helped companies engage their employees and customers to grow
their corporate citizenship programs.
For more information about our strategic partner programs
for businesses, contact Brad McKenna at 248/659.5007 or
bmckenna@leaderdog.org.
Photo: Client Jim Platzer stands at a podium next to a
projector screen talking to a group of people, while his Leader Dog
Micah lays in harness close to Jim.
Charitable Gift Annuity—Keeping it Simple
By Roberta Trzos
One of the easiest ways of making a gift to a charity is through a
Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA). At its heart, a CGA is simply a
contract between you (a donor) and Leader Dogs for the Blind (a
charity). In exchange for a gift of a specified amount, we agree
to make specified payments for life to one or two beneficiaries.
Upon the passing of the last beneficiary, Leader Dogs for the
Blind will receive the remainder of the gift. It really is that
simple.
In addition to the short, straight-forward contract, donors
benefit now by receiving tax deductions, capital gains tax
savings, guaranteed annual payments and the satisfaction of
helping the mission of Leader Dogs for the Blind.
If you haven’t thought about a CGA in the past, why not
give it some thought now and seriously consider making a gift by
way of a Charitable Gift Annuity. It is a very good way to
combine a charitable deduction now, income for one or two lives
and an eventual significant benefit to a favorite charity… like
Leader Dogs for the Blind.
Please contact Roberta S. Trzos, CFRE, director of planned
and personal giving at 248/659.5014 or rtrzos@leaderdog.org to
learn more about Leader Dog CGAs.
SINGLE LIFE RATES
(2014)
65 years-4.7%
70 years-5.1%
75 years-5.8%
80 years-6.8%
85 years-7.8%
90 & up-9%
TWO LIFE RATES
(2014)
65 years-up to 4.5%
70 years-up to 4.9%
75 years-up to 5.6%
80 years-up to 6.6%
85 years-up to 7.6%
90 & up-up to 8.8%
Stay Connected with Us
Visit us online at leaderdog.org
Facebook
Join us by searching “Leader Dogs for the Blind”
Flickr
Check out recent photos at flickr.com/photos/leader dog
Twitter
Follow us today @Leader_Dog
YouTube
Watch us in action on youtube.com/leaderdogvideos
Lions Highlight
By Beth Slade
For 25 years, dependable, “go-to” Debbie Dayton managed a very
busy Secretary of State office. When her vision declined, it was like
hitting a brick wall. “People used to come to me for help, now I had
to ask for help. I was no longer independent. I just sat at home.”
Things began to change when Debbie met a woman with a
Leader Dog while on an outing in a local mall with a group of people
who were visually impaired. Debbie was so impressed by how well
the woman traveled with her dog that she applied to Leader Dog.
Soon she was getting out of her house with Leader Dog Joshua at
her side.
“My friends [with visual impairment] called to go to the mall—
they wanted to see what Joshua could do. As we took off, I
started talking to them but eventually realized no one was
answering. I had totally left them behind!” Debbie had been the
least skilled traveler in the group, but now with LD Joshua, she
was leaps and bounds ahead of the rest. Today, Debbie and her
second Leader Dog, Patrick, go everywhere with complete
confidence.
Debbie recalls being at Leader Dog with Joshua, “I saw the
impact Lions had on Leader Dog and I thought ‘Wow! I want to be a
part of that!’” She became a Lion in the spring of 2002 and has
twice served two-year terms as club president, zone chair and
region chair. She has shared her experience with thousands of
people and continues to spread the mission of Lions and Leader
Dogs for the Blind.
During our 75th Anniversary Open House, Debbie and Leader
Dog Patrick demonstrated to guests how Patrick can be “patterned”
to a route. Patterning is when a client points out a space or object to
his or her Leader Dog so that the dog can remember it on its own.
Debbie showed how Patrick could correctly take her to a particular
office, a certain chair or the copier when directed.
“He’s just amazing,” she told guests. “I can go in any entrance
at the mall near my house and tell Patrick, ‘Find Macy’s,’ and he’ll
take me there.”
Endowments Provide Additional Options of Support
By
Kathryn Tuck
Leader Dog has traditionally approached private, community,
corporate and family foundations and trusts through annual
proposals that either requested support for an individual project or
a program or service, or sought general operation support through
mission-based giving.
Through collaboration with the trustees of the Edward T. and
Ellen K. Dryer Foundation and the Edward Berger Trust, Leader
Dog has established two separate endowments to support the
orientation and mobility internship program and veterinary care.
These seven- and six-figure endowments, respectively, mark the
final endowments made by the trusts. Each year, Leader Dog can
use the earnings of the endowments to support the initiatives
mentioned, while the principal investments remain to ensure
sustainability.
Our foundation giving team is pleased to prepare a proposal
for interested foundations or trusts wishing to honor their
endower(s) and provide a lasting legacy to Leader Dog.
Please contact Kathryn Tuck, director of foundation giving at
248/218.6431 or ktuck@leaderdog.org to discuss your areas of
interest.
Photo: A gentleman in a suit stands between people in lab coats
and scrubs captioned “Jon Gandelot of Grosse Pointe-based
Gandelot and Associates joins the Leader Dog veterinary team in
presenting the plaque, which will hang in the renovated Canine
Development Center, honoring Mr. Berger’s philanthropy.”
Lead in the Holidays—An event to benefit Leader Dogs for the
Blind
SAVE THE DATE! The 23rd Annual Lead in the Holidays will be
held on Friday, November 21, 2014 at the beautiful Royal Park
Hotel in Downtown Rochester.
Come celebrate the official welcome to the holiday season—
Leader Dog style! The evening offers you fabulous silent and live
auction items, a delicious strolling supper and the chance to
support our mission of empowering people who are blind or
visually impaired with lifelong skills for independent travel.
For more information, contact Maureen Smith at
248/659.5046 or msmith@leaderdog.org.
Leader Dogs for the Blind
1039 S. Rochester Road
Rochester Hills, MI 48307
Toll Free: 888/777.5332
Phone: 248/651.9011
leaderdog.org