Canine Heroes Wine Auction 2010

This past weekend, we held our 8th Annual Canine Heroes Wine Auction in the beautiful Napa Valley. Beginning with an intimate Winemaker dinner on Friday night in the wine cave at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, the weekend was off to a great start. The Wine Auction itself was on Saturday, held at Black Stallion Winery. Guests enjoyed a reception where they sampled food and wine from some of Napa's acclaimed wineries and restaurants, as well as bid on a host of silent auction lots. The evening progressed with a four-course gourmet meal with a keynote address by GDB alumnus George Thompson (pictured above; his Guide Dog Cairo is out of the frame), and culminated in a grand Live Auction.

"I loved the energy, camaraderie, the total success of both evenings," said Interim CEO Morgan Watkins. "It was thrilling, and thanks to staff, volunteers, donors, graduates, and dogs, we had two spectacular nights to remember."

The festivities raised more than $290,000, proceeds of which will go toward supporting GDB's veterinary expenses. Didn't make it to the auction? You can still support GDB with a donation here: guidedogs.com/donate.

Special thanks to Co-Chairs Paula Kornell and Joan Boyd, and the following corporate sponsors: Guggenheim Partners Asset Management, LLC; State Street Bank and Trust Company; Albourne America, LLC; Callan Associates; Goldman Sachs Asset Management; Grosvenor Capital Management, L.P.; The Winetasting Network; Bank of Marin; BlackRock, Inc.; Dodge & Cox; Friess Associates; Invesco; The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation; Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.

Petco and Natural Balance Team Up in September to Raise Funds for Guide Dog Organizations

Jimmy Van Patten, Nicollette Sheridan, Dick Van Patten

For the month of September, Natural Balance Pet Foods and Petco are helping to raise $1 million dollars to support guide dog organizations including Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Petco is joining Natural Balance Pet Foods (founded by Dick Van Patten) and Actress Nicollette Sheridan in this goal and together they are raising donations in the following ways:

• Petco customers can purchase specially marked bags of Natural Balance Dog Food where a $1.00 from each purchase is donated towards the goal.
• Petco customers can participate by "rounding up' their total purchase amount.
• Customers can make a direct donation of $1, $5, $10 or $20 at checkout.

GDB is very grateful to participate in this opportunity. When you visit a store, please thank Petco employees for their support.

We hope you will share this exciting news with everyone you know, including everyone who shares their life with a special pet and encourage them to shop Petco during the month of September! Learn more at Petco.com.

Puppy Raisers Hit a Home Run with Fundraiser for GDB

By puppy raiser Jillian Frost

Hot Dogs! Peanuts! Puppies... Puppies at Angel Stadium?? Do the Los Angeles Angels have a new mascot? What happened to the rally monkey? Well, the Angels don’t have a new mascot, but they do have some new four-legged fans.

On August 23, puppy raisers, graduates, and friends of GDB came out to support the Angels and raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind at the same time, bringing their puppies in training and working guides to experience the thrill of a major league baseball game.

Youth puppy raisers, Jillian Frost and Katie Irving, with puppies Ruffle and Dakota (pictured above), found a fun way to support GDB, the Angels and socialize with fellow GDB fans. The Angels generously offered to donate a portion of each ticket sold to GDB and they even threw in a free hot dog and drink. The event raised more than $1,000 for Guide Dogs for the Blind!

What began with some flyers and phone calls quickly became so much more. As emails and phone calls came in and the support for the event grew, we found ourselves amazed at the support for GDB from not only the puppy clubs and graduates, but from so many people in the community as well. At the game it was exciting to put names with faces, meet the people in this wonderful extended family of GDB, and hear their stories. “My youngest daughter is legally blind," said attendee David Stephens, "and may require the services of a guide dog in the future so this is an awesome charity you did this for.”

We learned about sales, marketing, success, and banking, but most of all, we learned how wonderful it is to be a part of this family and are so thankful for the new friends we’ve made and the difference that puppy raising has made in our lives.

Graduation: Smiles All Around!

The June 5th graduation at our Oregon campus was the perfect place to be if you felt like smiling. Along with celebrating the new partnerships between six wonderful Guide Dogs teams, we had several very special groups join us for the festivities.

As part of the the 2010 Portland Rose Festival, the festival's reigning Princesses (and last year’s Queen!) joined us for the day. These 14 lovely and talented representatives from Portland-area high schools toured the campus, took in the graduation, and got plenty of puppy love. We were honored to have these ambassadors spend the afternoon with us, and we’re proud to be part of Portland’s premiere annual event.

We also had a visit from our neighbors, Suburban Auto Group, located in Sandy, Ore., just three miles down the road from campus. For several years now, owners Nancy and Jerry Jaksich have held an annual Cruise-In event and have donated the proceeds to Guide Dogs. They have raised thousands and thousands of dollars for us, and have truly made a positive difference. Their most recent Cruise-In was held in May, and even in the face of a shaky economy and on a windy, rainy, blustery day, they were still able to bring the community together and raise funds for our benefit. At graduation, Nancy and members of the staff presented us with a check for $15,000. Their generosity is a testament to how important Sandy Suburban Auto Group is to the community, and of what great friends Nancy and Jerry have been to Guide Dogs. Thank you!

And finally, Girl Scout Troop #40041 from West Linn, Ore., joined in the ceremony and presented GDB with a donation to fund a harness for a future Guide Dog. Thanks to these generous fourth graders, someone will be able to walk the streets safely and with confidence with their brand new guide.

We’ve got beautiful moments like these at EVERY graduation. If you're up for some smiles, please plan now to join us at our June 19th graduation ceremony at the Oregon campus where we’ll have a PUPPY DELIVERY that will melt your heart. Some very lucky families in the Portland metro area will be receiving their new Guide Dog puppies, and we’d love to have you join us to witness their first meeting. The ceremony begins at 1:30, and as always, it is free and open to the public. Call (503) 668-2100 for reservations and more information, or visit our website for a complete list of graduation dates on both campuses. See you there!

Tee Off For Dogs

By Frank Frand

The 6th Annual Tee Off for Dogs Golf Tournament (an annual golf tournament raising funds for programs for the visually impaired, including Guide Dogs for the Blind), was held Sunday, May 16 at Black Gold Golf Club in Yorba Linda, Calif. It was a fun and barking success! We had 117 golfers, 40 working dogs and puppies, a helicopter for the ball drop, the famous blind man hole, massage tables, lots of food, lots of licks and tons of laughs! We are very proud to announce this years tournament grossed $30,000!

The golfers had the opportunity to pet, play and receive hot puppy breath kisses from Guide Dog puppies while their raisers happily looked on. Many thanks to the six puppy raising groups in Southern California that participated: BAARK, CNI, Los Angeles Southwest Puppy Raisers, Paws for Independence, Puppies to Partners and VIP3.

And did you hear the news? I gave it a go at the blind man hole, and my ball went over 400 yards! Yes, 400 yards, or so we heard. (My Guide Dog, Cardinal, isn't talking, so my secret is safe!)

We posted many pictures on the website; please check them out at teeofffordogs.org

Can't wait for next year!

Cheers! Pinot & Pups Wine Gala a Rousing Success

Last Saturday, GDB supporters were the toast of the town at our third Pinot & Pups Wine Gala in Portland, Ore. Held at the Portland Art Museum, 250 guests bid on both silent and live auction lots while sipping fine wines, enjoying a gourmet meal, and of course, cuddling with puppies! The event raised more than $200,000, with almost half ($95,000) garnered during a special paddle raise to support veterinary care; the remainder of the proceeds will go toward the costs of training students with their new Guide Dogs at our Oregon campus.

Many thanks to our generous sponsors—

• Soul Mate sponsor: Key Private Bank
• Companion sponsor: US Bank Charitable Services Group
• Buddy Sponsors: Pacific Power; The Standard
• Reception Sponsor: NW Natural
• Friend Sponsors: American Steel; Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt; Streimer Sheet Metal Works, Inc.; West Coast Bank

To see all the photos from the event, please visit the Pinot & Pups gallery on our Flickr site.

Didn’t make it to the event? You can still support Guide Dogs for the Blind by making an online donation. Visit www.guidedogs.com/donate to help make a difference today!

Pictured, top: Pinot & Pups guest Florence Rocks; bottom: guests Blake Hedinger and Mark Bruun.

Announcing GDB's First-Ever Online Auction!

Are you in the mood for a little shopping? Maybe a little competitive bidding for a great cause? Well now is your chance: Guide Dogs for the Blind's first-ever Online Auction is officially open!

Whether it's a once-in-a-lifetime sailing adventure aboard Stars and Stripes, the World Cup-winning sailboat; a chance to shadow a Guide Dog trainer; an exotic Mexican getaway; or the best seats in the house for the San Francisco Giants/Oakland A's Battle of the Bay, this auction has it all!

Take a Good Look

Bids are now being accepted on many fine items. Whether you're looking for something unique for yourself, searching for a gift for a special someone, or hoping to add a little adventure to your days, you're sure to find something of interest in our auction catalog.

Make Your Bid

Even if you've never taken part in an online auction before, it's fast and easy to place a bid. Step by step instructions will walk you through the bidding process so you can participate with confidence. And remember, every bid helps support GDB.

Tell Your Friends


The success of this online event depends on getting the word out to as many people as possible. We need your help. Please share all of the auction news with your friends and encourage them to participate so they don't miss a single moment of the fun and excitement.

Items are open for bidding and will close on April 10. You have until 10:00 pm Pacific time on the 10th to place your maximum bid.

So what are you waiting for? View the Auction Catalog and bid online now.

Oregon Campus Hosts OSU Delta Gammas

The January 30th graduation ceremony at our Oregon campus had a bevy of VIP visitors on hand for the day: the Delta Gammas from Oregon State in Corvallis. The Delta Gammas were treated to a private tour (where they met up with retired guide Hector, who was in heaven!) prior to attending the standing-room-only graduation ceremony. Earlier in the month, the OSU Delta Gammas hosted their annual fund-raising event, The Anchor Splash, and designated GDB as the recipient for a significant portion of the proceeds. We’re grateful to Delta Gammas everywhere who have chosen GDB as a recipient of their fundraising efforts, and grateful that these lovely young women spent an afternoon with us to learn more about our mission. Thank you DGs!

Dreaming of a White Christmas

Puppy raiser and breeding stock custodian Ruth Cattaneo is enjoying her holidays in quite a unique way. She's the wardrobe supervisor of the National Tour of Irving Berlin's White Christmas, and is with the tour as it travels the country bringing the time-honored classic to maybe a neighborhood near you! But while she's on the road, thoughts of GDB and her breeder dog Lania are forefront in her mind during this season of giving. She has organized a unique fundraiser in honor of Lania's first litter of pups (Lania and her new pups are pictured here). In Ruth's own words:

Sarah (my daughter) and I began raising puppies when she was in junior high school. We've raised seven dogs. Four of our pups are currently active guides, working in locales all across the country (Portland, Ore., Lake Oswego, Ore., Boston and Kansas City). Lania is our first breeder and is very special to me. She is the most athletic of all the dog's we've had - I plan on doing agility training with her when I get home.

For now, I am traveling with the National Tour of Irving Berlin's White Christmas. It is a wonderful tap dance musical that I call "candy for the eyes." It is a seasonal show that runs from November thru January. [As the wardrobe supervisor] I am in charge of over 300 pieces: hats, jewelry, shoes etc. The costumes are colorful and lots of fun. I started in New York in October to prepare the show for tour. We will be visiting the midwest section of the country: Omaha, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Michigan State University, St. Louis, Louisville and Kansas City. I'm hoping to see Baja, one of the pups I raised, in Kansas City when we are there.

To raise a little money for GDB, I plan to put pictures of Lania and her puppies on the crew and cast bulletin board. Then before the shows in the evening I will make an announcement over the speaker to our cast and crew letting them know that whatever is donated in total I will match (example: if two hundred dollars is donated then I will match it with another two hundred dollars). There are two little girls in the show who saw the pictures of the puppies and got so excited that they've agreed to take the "can" around and help collect any donations.

Thank you Ruth for your creativity and thoughtfulness!

Changing Lives, One Dog at a Time

Submitted by Robin Schneider

I first met Brandon when he was in the 7th grade. He was a reserved, quiet boy – tall and lanky. He sat in his seat quietly, did all of his work, and looked pretty bored most of the time.  

I had returned to my job as a Special Education Instructional Assistant at A.E. Wright Middle School in Calabasas, Calif., after getting my first Guide Dog, Evita, a  black Lab. Brandon and Evita became instant friends, and I do mean FRIENDS. When Evita is in the same room with Brandon, I know it immediately because her attention is on him and her tail is wagging, non-stop. Brandon knows not to touch her with her harness on, but she can’t control herself. She is not this way with any other students. I usually take off her harness and let her and Brandon have a love fest. 

I recognized the need to educate the 900 students at school regarding proper guide dog etiquette, so I targeted the 6th graders. I visited each classroom and told the kids how I suddenly lost my vision, and eventually found myself with a Guide Dog. Then I asked if they would donate to GDB. 

I began taking some of the Special Education students with me to help, including Brandon. After a short time, I asked him to do the pitch for pennies. He loved it, and each morning, he would greet me, asking “Which class are we visiting today?”  Last year we raised over $1,100 and this year $450.  

I know for certain that Evita has added something significant to Brandon’s life; I only wish it were more. Brandon wrote the following poem in May 2009:

We Are All Equal

I want to feel normal

I want to be a normal kid at school

But that isn’t possible

When I’m treated like a fool

This is the way God made me; I can’t help how I am

We’re not all that different from all the other boys and girls

But we can’t feel normal because of them

We’re all the same, just like the other boys and girls

I want to be in class without being stared at

Nor baring the fact that everyone around me is regular, while I’m the special kid

Can I be accepted by kids and not stepped on like a mat?

I want everyone to talk to and treat me like a normal person, not like that special kid

Kids feel sorry for a kid in a wheelchair

But kids who have lower functioning brains get treated like they’re animals

The thought about it just doesn’t seem fair

We are not animals, but just have some communication problems, but we’re just like everybody else

I want to be comfortable with my environment

I don’t want to be hit, with kids making a bid

It’s what’s on the inside that matters, not what we do, nor what we look like

I want everyone to talk to and treat me like a normal person, not like that special kid

From Brandon:

I really enjoyed helping out Guide Dogs for the Blind for the past two years and I only wish I could do it more. Mrs. Schneider is a very intelligent woman and is very lucky to have a dog like Evita. Evita is a very gentle and fun-loving puppy. I remember when I first saw her. I will miss them both, and hopefully will see them over the summer. I am truly fond of them. 

For the Love of Dogs

According to Suzanne Woods Fisher, being involved with Guide Dogs "is like eating one potato chip. You just can’t stop!” Her history makes a compelling case that joining the GDB community is every bit as addicting as a delicious snack food. She's a volunteer puppy raiser, puppy socializer, speaker's bureau member, Communications Department volunteer writer, and all-around GDB advocate. In her own words: 

"Nine years ago, Our family had family had just moved back to California after living in Hong Kong for four years. My youngest son, Tad, was in third grade and had always wanted a dog. I happened to chaperone his class on a school field trip to GDB's San Rafael campus, and that was all it took. We came home eager to start the process to become puppy raisers, and it was only a few months later that Arbor, a yellow lab male, joined our family. It's now seven puppies later... clearly, I'm hooked!"

One of her projects that combined her passion for GDB with her profession as a writer, is the recently-released novel, "For the Love of Dogs"; all royalties for the book are being donated to GDB. "The book is set in the 1960s," she said, "and it's about a young blind woman who ends up getting a guide dog… and finds love." The book is available online at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com, or can be ordered at your favorite bookstore. 

Tad is now a senior in high school and Suzanne is busy writing more books, with her newest puppy, yellow Lab Reyna, on a tie-down by her computer. “Reyna is the first dog I’ve co-raised with another family,” she said. “Co-raising is an awesome way to still participate with puppy raising while sharing the load. And I think the puppy ends up with double the benefits.” 

As for Reyna, "Her name means ‘queen’ in Spanish, but we’re not telling her that,” said Suzanne. “She already thinks she’s a princess.” You can find Suzanne and Reyna on-line at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.