The Guy Next Door Bob Justin and Leader Dog Lego

Leader Dogs for the Blind Update - Issue 3, 2012 The Guy Next Door—Bob Justin and Leader Dog Lego

Anything is Possible! We’ve all heard that old adage, and I firmly believe that with determination and a “can-do” attitude—anything is possible. We witness it here every day at Leader Dogs for the Blind. As you read through this issue of Update, you’ll notice this common theme too. We all face obstacles on a daily basis. With those obstacles often come a crossroads; do I give up, or do I forge ahead? When our clients lose their sight, they don’t choose to change their lifestyle, but that’s often the reality. However, when you read about the accomplishments of our alumni you realize that hard work and determination keep them forging ahead, many times in totally new ways, and sets the stage for greatness. We have clients who amaze us every day with their endeavors, from mountain climbing and doctorate degrees to hosting foreign exchange students and traveling the world. Working with a Leader Dog empowers our clients to reach for new goals, and I believe a positive attitude is a critical part of their journey. Another example is Mark Mansell and his recent 3500-mile cycling trip across the country for Leader Dog. Many people, faced with challenging terrain, difficult weather conditions and pure exhaustion would have complained or have simply given up. But if you met Mark Mansell, you would know that “defeat” just isn’t in his makeup. His fantastic attitude and “can-do” approach to life is contagious—and enabled him to successfully complete his cycling trip in 52 days! Our trustees, team members and volunteers also exhibit this positive attitude and approach each and every day. Whether working with a guide dog, making a meal for our clients, sending an email to donors, or raising a puppy, the enthusiasm and passion for our clients, dogs and our mission keeps us on task. So thank you for your optimism. Together, we can do anything we put our minds to! Sincerely, Susan M. Daniels President & CEO

Photo: A volunteer holds a newborn puppy wrapped in a towel captioned “Volunteers help take great care of our dogs from the moment they are born.”

Photo: A Leader Dog team member brushes a black lab captioned “Leader Dog employees are hands-on when it comes to keeping our dogs looking good.” Photo: Mark Mansell riding his bike next to a wheat field on a sunny day with mountains faintly in the background captioned “Mark Mansell rode alone through miles and miles of wheat fields this past summer.”

Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree—Doctorate? “My dog gives me the means to get where I want to go. It’s all about the confidence,” says Sindy Puckett with a wide smile. It was with confidence and her head held high that Sindy crossed the stage at Southeast Missouri State University to receive her diploma and become the first legally blind person to earn a master’s degree from the university. But she shares credit for her accomplishment with her first Leader Dog, Eleanor. “Without Eleanor I wouldn’t have gone for my master’s degree. There were many street crossings that I wouldn’t want to do alone at night on campus.” Shortly after graduation Sindy faced the hard task of deciding if it was time for Eleanor to retire, a decision that was made easier because Leader Dog was there to help. “Barb [my coordinator] was there with me step-by-step through my decision to retire Eleanor.” Before returning to Michigan to train with a new dog, Sindy took great care to find a good home for Eleanor with people who would love and care for her. The fact that there were other dogs for Eleanor to play with was a bonus. Sindy readily admits that she wasn’t the only family member anxious for her to return to Leader Dog. “My mom couldn’t wait for me to get my second dog,” she laughs, “She even said, ‘Now I can get my freedom back.’ With my dog I don’t have to ask for much assistance. My family says they often forget that I can’t see.” However, after Eleanor’s retirement and before her return to Leader Dog, Sindy was more dependent on her mother than she had been in years. Having already earned an undergraduate degree in broadcast journalism and her master’s in English, Sindy has set a goal of earning a doctorate degree and becoming a teacher, a goal that she has had for many years. “My second grade teacher wouldn’t let me quit. That’s why I want to be a teacher. I can do more than teach English; I can show the students how to empower themselves.”

Photo: Eleanor sitting with her new family (three people, another yellow lab and a Jack Russell terrier) captioned “Eleanor is enjoying her new life with the Walz Family and her new sisters Layla and Trixie (on lap).”

Photo: Sindy posing with Eleanor, both wearing black caps and gowns captioned “I wouldn’t have earned my master’s degree without Eleanor by my side.” Photo: Sindy and Sweetie (black lab) posing for their graduate picture captioned “Sindy reports that Leader Dog Sweetie is picking up right where Eleanor left off!”

Letters from our Alumni Dear Leader Dog, It is hard to believe it has been a full year now with Wilma. Wilma has had a difficult legend to follow. Wheaties, my male yellow lab, did a great job for 10 years before passing away at age 12. Although the bar was high, she has proven to be up to the challenge. I am reminded each day of his passing, and while she passes along some of the trails he blazed ahead of her, she is making new ones on her own. My first requirement of Wilma is to be a good guide dog. She does very well at this. She handles situations with a great deal of confidence, competence and caution where required. I guess the “proof is in the pudding” as she is credited with one official “save” in her first year; keeping me from stepping into the path of a speeding golf cart. I found a new reason to sing the praises of Wilma. I often say that the difference between a “good” dog and a “great” one is their willingness and ability to continue to learn and expand their job description. Wilma has displayed a new talent; being an early warning system. One day she started furiously licking my face and hair. Alerted to Wilma’s unusual behavior, my wife Cindy, realized that I was struggling. I was having a TIA (transient ischemic attack). Despite my protestations, Cindy got me in the ambulance and to the ER. I am fine now and I have suffered no permanent damage. I was back to my usual routine in a couple of days. Wilma now has an additional job (TIA alert dog). Take care and thanks to you, the Lions and all LDB supporters again for everything. Jack (JC) Jorgensen

Dear Leader Dog, Ten and a half years ago I received my first guide dog, Makenzie, a bright-eyed, beautiful intelligent yellow lab. Her eyes were so bright and her lashes so prominent she looked like she was wearing eyeliner. Her triangular little ears and the muzzle under her chin were the very softest, most velvety part of her body. From the get-go Makenzie accompanied me to my second grade class. She needed little training and acclimated to my school life and life serving on the board of the Michigan Commission for the Blind. In school she was off harness in the room and knew her role. Gradually, she would move around as I did during journal time to sort of look over journals, just as I was doing, and to allow the kids a little break to give her a pat. She was the topic of many drawings and journals. The children loved her. She always had her picture taken during class photo time and was in every yearbook since she began her “teaching” career. The time came when she just couldn’t muster up the stuff to go to school every single day, but the last thing I saw when I left the house were her beautiful eyes and soft ears, and I cried every time I left without her. On the day we both retired, she came to school and officially barked her retirement on the P.A., which made us all cry. The dog you helped to provide me had a rich and full life and was loved by hundreds of kids, people at the Commission, people we don’t even know and our family and friends. Thank you for a wonderful ten and a half years with the most amazing dog ever. Regards, JoAnn Pilarski

Dear Leader Dog, Let me commend you for your work. [Leader Dog] Albert is the best thing to happen to me save the birth of our children. He is so disciplined and has given me such a sense of regained independence. He is also the most beautiful dog in the world. He adores me so and the feeling is mutual. He has never caused me to doubt for a second his ability to safely lead me everywhere. We recently went to the Lawrence Convocation Center where there were thousands of folks and I never so much as bumped an elbow. I can’t thank you enough for the opportunity to work with such a precious gift of God in Albert. God bless us everyone! Harold “Bud” Green

A Great Attitude Knows No Age By Guest Writer Peggy O’Dell Bob Justin is the kind of guy you want to be your next-door neighbor. Always smiling and quick with a joke, the former Marine credits his positive attitude with helping him get through many difficult times in his life, including the year he spent in Vietnam. “Attitude is the most important thing in the world,” he says. So when he lost the sight in his right eye in 1988, followed by his left eye 20 years later, he relied on his upbeat attitude and his family and friends to help get him through. “I’m not a rock kicker, I’m a positive person,” says Bob. Still, he knew he would be forced to slow down from his active lifestyle. During a stay at the Hines VA Hospital in Chicago, Bob met a former Marine from Michigan who told him about Leader Dogs for the Blind. “He told me Leader Dog was the best place to go to get a dog. He said everything there was first class and top notch.” At 70, the lifelong “dog person,” who had never seen a guide dog in his town, traveled to Rochester Hills to meet the dog that would not only be his loyal companion, but who would also change his life. Bob was matched with Lego, a golden retriever. “I don’t know how they do it, but Lego is the perfect dog for me. They sure know how to make the best matches,” he says. “I was so excited to meet him, and I trusted him from the first day. He’s perfect.” Bob and Lego trained in a variety of locations, from residential and downtown areas, to stores and restaurants. They also trained extensively on the Leader Dog campus. “We worked hard together so we wouldn’t be embarrassed when we got home,” Bob says, laughing. Bob may be older than most clients are when they receive their first dog, but he said he would recommend it to anyone, regardless of age. “The staff here is unbelievable. They are so hardworking and full of energy. And they are fun too. I really like to laugh and have a good time,” he says. With Lego by his side, Bob was confident he would be more active when he returned home to Iowa. “I’m just not a sit on the couch kind of guy,” he says. “I had a route planned out for us to walk at home before I left Leader Dog.” He also likes taking Lego to the gym for his twice weekly workouts and including him in his work with the Shriners, a group he has been involved with for more than 30 years. “I march with the Shriners, and now Lego can march with me.” Lego may also have a future in education. “I used to go in to the schools and talk about the Vietnam War,” Bob says, “But now I would like to take Lego and teach the kids about guide dogs. I think it would be fun.” Photo: Bob is exercising at a machine while Lego lies next to him captioned “Leader Dog Lego enjoys accompanying Bob to the gym, especially because he gets to relax while Bob is working out!”

Photo: Bob is sitting on a wooden bench while Lego is sitting on the cement facing him captioned “Bob and Lego take a break while walking around town and spend a few minutes talking about their morning (Ok, Bob talked, Lego listened).”

Tabitha “Tabby Girl” Anne Drake’s Hero Dog When Anne Drake began losing her vision, she was devastated. She was 46, and everything she had been doing independently all her life was suddenly threatened. The fear that grew out of the new darkness caused Anne to find inhibitions everywhere she turned, leading her to a life of increasing isolation. In losing her eyesight, she was losing herself. Then, at her family’s suggestion, Anne came to Leader Dogs for the Blind, and from the moment she met Tabitha, her life began to change. With the friendly German shepherd at her side, Anne’s confidence and independence returned. This spring, the American Humane Association sent out a call for nominations of dogs that have performed extraordinary acts of service to be named the 2012 American Hero Dogs. Out of all the submissions in the guide dogs category, one entry shone above the rest. That was the story of the faithful German shepherd named Tabitha. Though Tabitha was now retired after seven years of work, Anne wanted to recognize the profound impact that Tabitha had had on her life: Tabitha was my first guide dog; I obtained her from Leader Dogs for the Blind in 2004. Although now retired, she was and always will be my Hero Dog. Tabby Girl, as I called her, was the one that not only comforted me through the shock and depression of losing my sight, she welcomed me into a new life. By her love and skills, she showed me that life was still the same, I could still go and accomplish things, I just needed to go about some things a bit differently. It was with the new found courage that I gained from Tabby Girl’s guidance that I continued to experience so much in life. I completed both my undergraduate and graduate studies with her by my side. I overcame my fear of "the dark." I learned to trust myself once again, as well as others. There were so many things that she did over the years for me too numerous to mention in this short essay. Suffice it to say, Tabby Girl saved my life, not only physically, but emotionally, and mentally as well. Without Tabby Girl showing me the way to my new life, I really don't know where I would be right now. Tabby Girl will always be my Hero Dog. Anne’s heartfelt nomination and her constant campaigning on behalf of her beloved Tabitha paid off when Tabitha was officially named a 2012 Hero Dog in the guide dogs category. This meant a $5,000 gift to Anne’s charity partner, Leader Dog, and that Tabitha and Anne will fly to Hollywood in October* to accept Tabitha’s award. Anne and Tabitha will make the trip with Karin Pierce, Tabitha’s puppy raiser who, along with her husband Steven, welcomed Tabitha back into their home when she retired. They will attend a star-studded ceremony hosted by actress Kristin Chenoweth and meet the judges, including Whoopi Goldberg, who will help choose the overall Hero Dog of the year. The event will be broadcast November 8 on The Hallmark Channel. Please check your local listings for time. There are many hero dogs out there. They come in all shapes and sizes, and their service takes different forms. Some are members of our military. Some aid in search and rescue. Some offer comfort to victims of trauma. And some, like Tabitha, give their eyes and hearts to lead someone through the dark. We could not be more proud to be a part of this special recognition of Tabitha’s work, and we hope you will join us in offering our congratulations and thanks to her and all of our canine heroes. *This issue was in production prior to Anne and Tabitha’s trip to Hollywood. Photo: Anne and Tabitha pose for their graduate photo captioned “In matching caps and gowns, Anne and Tabitha walked across a stage together to accept Anne’s diploma for her master’s degree in social work from Indiana University.”

Photo: Anne smiles as Driver (black lab) leans over to give her a big smooch captioned “Anne’s second Leader Dog, Driver, gives her a huge kiss.”

New Vision, Mission and Values We have recently updated our Vision Statement, Mission State- ment and Values to better reflect the goals of our organization.

Vision Statement

To be the leading guide dog organization providing sustainable value for our clients.

Mission Statement

Empowering people who are blind or visually impaired with lifelong skills for independent travel through: • Quality Leader Dogs • Highly Effective Client Instruction • Innovative Services Values 1.Respect and compassion for people and dogs 2. Passion for the work 3. Safety in all we do 4. Doing what is right 5. Innovation in our field 6. Teamwork 7. Superior experience for stakeholders (added)

LDB Foundation Established We have recently established the Leader Dogs for the Blind Foundation to serve as a separate legal entity for the Leader Dogs for the Blind Board Designated Fund. The foundation’s purpose is to exclusively receive and administer funds for the benefit of, and make grants solely to, Leader Dogs for the Blind. This approach has proven successful for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations and allows for the clear direction and independent oversight of the entire Leader Dogs for the Blind Board Designated Fund. The Foundation will accept grant solicitations only from Leader Dogs for the Blind and will only award grants to Leader Dogs for the Blind. Financial gifts and contributions should continue to be made to Leader Dogs for the Blind. Please feel free to contact Roberta S. Trzos, CFRE, director of personal giving at 248-659- 5014 or [email protected] if you have any questions regarding the Leader Dogs for the Blind Foundation. Leader Dog University Homecoming 2012 During the first weekend in August we hosted Leader Dog University— Homecoming 2012, an annual event which celebrates our puppy raisers and breeding stock host families. We had almost 700 two-legged attendees over the two days of the event and hundreds of four-legged attendees as well. One highlight of the weekend was a presentation by Warden Jim McKinney, who heads the largest prison program that raises puppies for us. He shared photos and inmate stories from the 10 years that we’ve been working together. Also speaking was Judge Paul Teranes, who has been using a guide dog for 54 years (and has served as the chairman of our board of trustees). He shared stories of how each of his dogs worked with him as he grew from a college kid to a family man to a judge and into retirement. We’d like to again thank all of our wonderful puppy raisers and breeding stock hosts. Also a big thanks to our corporate sponsors—Purina and Coastal Pet Products, Inc.

Photo: A lineup of people sit in front of Leader Dog on Puppy Day with their dogs captioned “Happy to reunite for a family picture are: Breeding Stock Dad Kasey with Host Paul Columbo, Kasper with Puppy Raiser Dot Ochs, Sadie with Puppy Raiser Barb Caswell, Samson with Puppy Raiser Nancy Colombo, Maple with Puppy Raiser Ann Davis, Amber with Puppy Raiser Steve Landry, Clarence with Puppy Raiser Carol Dvorak-mola, Breeding Mom Lacy with Host Janice White (not pictured Reba and Puppy Raiser Gail Haba).”

Photo: A husband, wife and their two young daughters pose with a German shepherd captioned “Raising Future Leader Dog Duke was a family affair for the Dilleys of Ohio.”

Photo: A golden retriever smiles for the camera in the outdoor pavilion captioned “Future Leader Dog Fabio seems to be enjoying a day of fun on Leader Dog’s campus”

Photo: A yellow lab puppy lies in a container of water as his puppy raiser mom washes off the paint from his paw print art captioned “This puppy doesn’t look too thrilled about having to take a bath after painting a “pawtrait.””

Puppies on Parade By Guest Writer Peggy O’Dell Eleven-month-old Future Leader Dogs Walley and Luke already have busy schedules: there’s socializing to do, commands to learn, and new sights, sounds and smells to investigate. But when they were asked to be the first canine Grand Marshals of the Carver Steamboat Days parade in Minnesota, they were happy to accept the honor. The puppies were chosen by the Carver Lions Club as a way to raise awareness about Leader Dog and the puppy raiser program. “I think it’s fantastic, but we don’t look at them as puppies, they’re just two Lions that have four paws,” said Tim Craig, Lions Club VP and Luke’s puppy raiser. “I’ve already had calls about how to be a puppy raiser.” Fellow Lion Tim Carroll is raising Walley. Luke and Walley walked the parade route with their raisers, while school children passed out Leader Dog baseball cards and bookmarks. It was a doggone good parade.

Mission Moment “I am not totally blind, but there are things that I know I can’t see. A cane doesn’t guarantee that I will miss an oncoming car, but Zoey will be able to ensure that I stop. I attended summer camp at Leader Dog a couple of years ago and loved getting a chance to work with a guide dog. That’s why I decided to come back.”

Photo: Anthony Trent and his first Leader Dog, Zoey (yellow lab) Leader Dogs for the Blind Legacy Society On June 19, 2012 a Legacy Society Founders Dinner was held on the campus of Leader Dogs for the Blind. The evening was filled with celebration and a moving testimonial by Board Trustee and Leader Dog Client Jim Plazter with his Leader Dog, Maddy. We would like to thank all of the founding members of our Legacy Society. Carol M. Anderson, Winifred Bailey, John and Hazel Banks Family Trust, Shirley and Bob Beardslee, Kathy P. Belgea, M.D., Brad and Sandra Bowers, Helen-Elou and Albert Bushnell, Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Carpenter, Elizabeth and Rick Cornell, Andrew Coucke, Kim and Terry Cross, Merry Damrow, Margaret Ann Dimond, Jim and Louise Doornek, Tim and Lu Foster, Eldon and Lana Frank, John Frischkorn, Marcia Gilfillan, Jere Ann and Jim Green, Barbara and Lon Grossman, Dee and Bill Hancock, Rod Haneline, Mark and Judy Harris, Gust Headbloom (Gift in Honor of), John Hebert, Fred and Katie Hershey, June B. Holder, Barbara E.G. Long Kersey and Grant Kersey, Lynn and Tom Kimble, Mark and Connie Lentz, Donna M. Lieberman, Brad and Hollye Mackler, Jeanne D. and Robert C. Meyer, Lynda Ann Peringian, Rich Poncin, Ginger K. and Glenn R. Rossow, Charles and Mary Schwab, Gail Selfridge, Ronald and Karen Sharp, Debra K. and William J. Shea, Bill and Linda Shepard, John Simek and Honey Girls, Walter J. Szymanski and Barbara A. Szymanski, Wendeline L. Wagner, DVM, M.A. Walker, Gary A. White Family, Louise and Nathan Wyman. Everyone who joins the Legacy Society receives a beautiful lapel pin. If you would like information about joining the Legacy Society, or if you are a member and have not yet received a pin, please contact Roberta S. Trzos, CFRE, Director of Personal Giving at 248-420-7855 or [email protected].

Stay Connected with Us Do you enjoy learning more about Leader Dog? If so, here are a few ways you can stay connected with us on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Join us on Facebook by searching “Leader Dogs for the Blind” (capitalization counts) Sign up at leaderdog.org to receive email updates on happenings at Leader Dog Check out recent client and event photos at flickr.com/photos/leaderdog Follow us today on Twitter @Leader_Dog

Angel Eyes Campaign Sponsored by the Annenberg Foundation In March 2012, the Annenberg Foundation, through its Dog Bless You Facebook page, sponsored the Angel Eyes Campaign to spread awareness about the benefit of guide dogs and the organizations that help to train and pair them with their human partners. Five guide dog organizations, including Leader Dog, were selected to participate in the campaign. We encouraged our Facebook fans and Twitter followers to “like” the Dog Bless You page with each “like” translating to a valuable donation. Realizing the magnitude of this project, Leader Dog led its fellow guide dog organizations in generating “likes” and was one of only three organizations to receive a grant based on its participation. In May, we received a grant of $76,000 toward training two guide dogs for people who are blind or visually impaired. We will be working with explore.org, the social media branch of the Annenberg Foundation and facilitators of the Dog Bless You Facebook page, over the next year to share the experience of several of our dogs as they train to become Leader Dogs. Via our Facebook page, we will follow the dogs and their instructors during training, learn about the clients they are paired with and supply follow-up on how the dogs have acclimated to their new homes and their new jobs as Leader Dogs. We would like to thank the Annenberg Foundation for their generous grant and for helping to spread awareness of the work that is done every day on the campus of Leader Dog.

Deferred Charitable Gift Annuities (CGA) This is the third in our three installments on Leader Dog’s Charitable Gift Annuity options— one-life, two-life and deferred. Many people think that a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) is for someone who is retired or very close to retirement age. This is far from true; a Leader Dog Deferred CGA option is appropriate for people of any age. A deferred CGA allows you to sign a contract with Leader Dogs for the Blind on the date your funds are contributed that allows you to defer receipt of annuity payments to a future date. During the deferral period your gift annuity payment amounts earn an annual compound interest rate. Just like one-life and two-life GCAs, a deferred CGA provides an immediate tax deduction for the charitable portion of your contract. Please contact Roberta Trzos, CFRE, director of personal giving at 248-659-5014 to discuss interest rates and any questions you might have regarding the three CGA options we offer.

The Sky’s the Limit—Literally Larry Ekstrom Skydives for Leader Dog There is no shortage of examples of our supporters going above and beyond with inspiring efforts of service and fundraising, but from time to time there’s an endeavor that really stands out. This August, the event that had everyone talking was the extraordinary feat of 70-year-old Larry Ekstrom. Not one to shy away from challenge, Ekstrom chose to use his birthday to raise funds for Leader Dog by skydiving from about 2,000 feet not once, not twice… but 70 times! He began at 9 a.m., and for the next 10 hours he completed jump after jump with volunteers and friends helping to switch his parachute after each landing. The Michigan local caught people’s attention nationwide, with over 300 news sources reporting on Ekstrom’s achievement for Leader Dog. He was even featured on The Huffington Post’s column Greatest Person of the Day. In spite of the attention, Ekstrom was modest, telling CBS 6, “It’s just another milestone and proves somebody can do something.” We see evidence of people doing something every day—the kinds of things that never fail to remind us how fortunate we are to be doing work that in turn inspires people to support us in amazing ways. We’re taking this opportunity to say thank you once again to Larry Ekstrom and the many others who give their time, energy, funds, talents and dedication to help us empower people who are blind or visually impaired.

Connect with us on Twitter Looking for another way to learn about what’s going on at Leader Dogs for the Blind? Follow us on Twitter! We’ll keep you informed on the latest stories about the people connected to Leader Dog— our clients, volunteers and supporters. You’ll be able to learn more about what we do every day with short updates about our programs and services. Find out if there are events or fundraisers near you and what you can do to help. Want to see what’s got our attention at Leader Dog? We tweet news that intrigues us about what’s going on in the community of people who are blind or visually impaired and our furry guide dog friends. There are so many ways you can help empower people who are blind or visually impaired through the work we’re doing at Leader Dog, but one of the easiest is to share the news. Invite your own followers to be part of the conversation about Leader Dog through tweets and retweets and teach others about the impact that guide dogs and orientation and mobility training can have on the safety and independence of our clients. Twitter is not only a great way to connect directly to the heart of everything going on at Leader Dog but also to share what you’re thinking about. We want to keep in touch—tell us something you think we should know, ask us a question or just say hi! Twitter is a quick, simple way to talk with us, and we’d love to hear from you. Follow us today @Leader_Dog.

Cycling for Leader Dogs Mark Mansell Raises Triple His Goal After 52 days and 3,497 miles, Lion Mark Mansell finished his Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine solo bicycle ride to benefit Leader Dog by dipping his bike, and his feet, in the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way Mark not only pedaled across 12 states with an estimated 2.5 million turns of the crank on his bike, he also made over 100 presentations (before, during and after the ride) about Leader Dog to Lions Clubs and other groups. For Mark, his favorite part of the trip was meeting so many new people. Many Lions planned for Mark’s trip through their area and gave him a place to sleep, but lots of strangers also stopped to ask what he was doing, shared a meal with him, gave him a place to sleep and dug into their pockets to donate to Leader Dog. “With all the crazy things that are going on in the world, you wonder what’s going on,” said Mark. “But I found people who were kind, generous and really cared about their fellow man.” Kindness and generosity came from our donors, old and new, who supported Mark’s efforts to the tune of $97,917*, almost three times his goal of $35,000! If you’d like to read Mark’s blog from the time he spent on the road or make a donation, go to leaderdog.org/ cyclingforleaderdogs. *Amount received as of the production date of this newsletter.

Photo: Mark stands with his front bike tire in the water while two people point cameras at him captioned “Several local news stations were on hand in Portland, Maine to film Mark finishing his ride by dipping his bike into Casco Bay.”

Photo: Mark poses for a picture with a smiling Leader Dog client and her guide dog Lacey captioned “A highlight of Mark’s trip was meeting Leader Dog Client Maria Kristic, who was vacationing with her family and Leader Dog Lacey in Niagara Falls. Maria had been following Mark’s trip online and was thrilled to meet him.”

Inset: Mark was honored with a Lions Recognition Award at the USA/Canada Forum in September. The award was presented by the President of Lions Clubs International, Wayne A. Madden.

Celebrating our 21st Annual Lead in the Holidays An Event to Benefit Leader Dogs for the Blind

Join us as we celebrate 21 years of this magnificent event by recognizing Leader Dogs for the Blind’s mission to empower people who are blind or visually impaired with lifelong skills for independent travel through quality Leader Dogs, highly effective client instruction and innovative services.

Day/Time

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2012 FROM 5-10PM

 Live And Silent Auctions  Gourmet Cuisine

 Blindfold Walks With A Leader Dog

 Photos With A Leader Dog

 Puppy Parade

LOCATION

The Palazzo Grande

54660 Van Dyke

(South of 25 Mile Road)

Shelby Township, Michigan 48316

Cocktail Attire Recommended

Register Online at Leaderdog.Org/Leadin or Call 248/651.9011

Leader Dogs for the Blind 1039 S. Rochester Road Rochester Hills, MI 48307 Toll Free 888-777-5332 Phone 248-651-9011 www.leaderdog.org