A Very Special Event Was Held On October 26th To Benefit The Guide Dog Foundation For The Blind, Inc., And America's VetDogs-The Veteran's K-9 Corps

	On October 26th, a benefit was held at "PORTERS on the lane" for the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc., and America's VetDogs - The Veteran's K-9 Corps. It was an evening of Cocktails, Gastronomical Delights, and Entertainment for these wonderful causes.
			Naturally, the guide dogs in attendance were the stars of the evening, but Bellport’s own Isabella Rossellini was on hand to help out. Isabella is very supportive of this program as we all should be.

About the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc.

Since 1946, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. has provided guide dogs free of charge to blind people who seek enhanced mobility and independence.

Our students come to us from all over the United States and many foreign countries. Our trademark small classes and individualized instruction often attract students who may have special requirements. We have successfully trained hearing-impaired blind people as well as many physically challenged people.

We are supported entirely by donations from generous individuals, corporations and foundations. We receive no government funding.
 

About VetDogs

Helping those who have served our country honorably to live with dignity and independence whether they are visually impaired or have other special needs, by using guide dogs, service dogs, and innovative technologies.

The VetDogs project is a new program from the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. Since its beginning in 1946, the Foundation has always served the needs of veterans, but it has done so as part of its overall mission to improve the quality of life for people who are blind or visually impaired.

In recent years, the Foundation has come to recognize that as veterans age, and as wounded soldiers return home from the global war on terrorism, there would be a greater need for guide dogs and specialized service dogs to help them maintain mobility and independence.

Thus VetDogs was born. We realized that it was important to consolidate our outreach to disabled veterans to address these increased needs. By building cooperative relationships with the military and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and by forging strategic partnerships with other guide and service dog schools to widen the options and availability of services to the veteran, we will ensure that disabled veterans receive all the benefits they need to live in dignity and independence.

We will train and supply guide dogs for the visually impaired veteran and service dogs for those who have disabilities other than blindness. In addition, training on Trekker, an orientation aid that uses GPS technology and digital maps to help blind and visually impaired people navigate unfamiliar territory, is also being offered.

The Guide Dog Foundation plans to be the standard by which the military and the VA measure assistance dog providers, and VetDogs is our way of recognizing the sacrifice made by our men and women in uniform.

All of our services are provided at no cost to the veterans.