Leader Dogs for the Blind. Update. Issue Orientation & Mobility Training: Learning the Basics of Safe Travel

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1 Leader Dogs for the Blind Update Issue Orientation & Mobility Training: Learning the Basics of Safe Travel

2 President s Message Keeping our Focus on Our Clients Greg poses for a photo with Dr. Mary Sedgewick and her Leader Dog, Lucy, during a donor event. Leader Dog has changed a lot over the past 70+ years. As an organization we're more sophisticated today than we were even 10 years ago. This sophistication comes with added complexities such as larger facilities and their maintenance, more employees and the need for a strategic plan that causes us to keep improving and moving forward. Throughout the years and growth, it would have been easy to lose our focus, to forget that our mission is to enhance the lives of people who are blind and visually impaired. But we didn't lose our focus or forget our mission; we just got better at clarifying it. Our ability to focus on our clients and identify their needs has led us to develop new, innovative programs; one being our Accelerated Mobility Program which we developed in the mid-90 s to teach orientation and mobility (O&M) skills to potential guide dog clients [see pages 6-9]. More recently, we kept focused on our clients during our two-year strategic planning process. Throughout the development of the plan we asked ourselves, Is the way we do it now best for our clients? Honestly, there were times when the answer was no. So we stopped, looked at our processes, and made needed changes that allowed us to answer yes, this is best for our clients. Some of the outcomes from our strategic planning initiative are included in A Recap of 2010 located on page 12. But this is an ongoing process. As we implement our strategic plan over the next several years, changes will be made to our processes and programs as we keep our clients, both current and potential, in mind. We have identifi ed shortcomings in the way people who are blind and visually impaired receive services, both in the United States and around the world. One segment that has room for big improvements is the area of new technology we will address this in Stay tuned to future issues of Update for more information. Everyone at Leader Dog moves into 2011 motivated and excited about the future of our organization. We will continue to share with you our direction for Leader Dog and how our key strategies and innovations will enhance the lives of our clients. Cover photo by Jerry Zolynsky 4 Alumni Letters 6 Liberating Canes 8 Orientation and Mobility Training In this Issue 11 Legacy Society 12 A Recap of Our New Board Chairman 14 Pet Supplies Plus Campaign 15 Lions Fundraiser 15 Become a Dream Maker 2 Update

3 Alumni Spotlight Traveling Together Side by Side In the days prior to receiving his first Leader Dog, Fernie, Tom Moritz admits to feelings of anxiousness, uncertainty and inadequacy. After just six months of working together, his fears have faded away and the team has become well-seasoned travelers. T Tom Moritz travels quite a bit for his job as a medical research biostatistician. Trains, airports, hotels and restaurants are very much a part of his life. Luckily, Leader Dog Fernie has quickly proven herself to be a polite, competent traveler. When we fly, says Tom, if we enter the plane first, Fernie feels obligated to greet every passenger as they pass by our seat. She sits politely with her tail wagging waiting for a comment regarding how beautiful she is and for a pat on the head. If we enter the plane last, she just lies down and goes to sleep as soon as I take my seat. Fernie s good behavior does not go unnoticed. Once, in an upscale restaurant, her politeness earned her a silver tray of ice cubes. Yet another time when Tom attended a Great Leaders Training meeting, Fernie was acknowledged during a strength-finding exercise. During the final session, the presenters gave Fernie an ID badge that included her top five strengths, Tom recalls proudly. They were: - Includer: Being accepting of others - WOO (Winning Others Over): Loving the challenge of meeting new people and winning them over - Adaptability: Going with the flow and taking life one day at a time - Empathy: Sensing the feelings of others - Responsibility: Being committed to stable values such as loyalty To date, Tom and Fernie have traveled to Washington DC, Boston, Milwaukee and Omaha. When we went to Omaha, Tom admits, we walked over a pedestrian bridge to Iowa just so Fernie could say she d been there too. Tom received Fernie as a home delivery. This is when an instructor takes a dog to the client s home for training instead of the client coming to Leader Dog. This is how Fernie spends her day at work, unless we have a meeting, in which case she is the time keeper. If she rolls over on her back or starts to groan, we usually decide the meeting has gone long enough, laughs Tom. Issue

4 Letters from our Alumni Dear Leader Dog, B o b b i e We are having such a happy life together and have become a team. Danae and I do so well together. Jessica [my Leader Dog instructor] did a great job teaching us and giving us a life of joy and independence. All of you who work there have certainly touched my life, even if you were in the background doing what you are supposed to be doing. Be proud of who you are and what you are doing. Bobbie Poling and Leader Dog Danae Dear Leader Dog, I want to share with you an adventure that Scout and I had last week. I went on my usual retreat in the mountains at St. Benedict s Monastery. Scout actually went right to the same room that we have spent our time in the last three years pretty cool, eh? He remembered the trail to the Monastery, which was no easy task. We recently practiced the route for getting to my classes for Micro Window Eyes Training in Littleton. This is south of Denver, so I need to take a combination of buses and light rail. One practice trip was all it took [for Scout to learn the route]. I was so nervous, but I have learned to follow him - unless he stops to smell the flowers. He did great! There are five people with guide dogs in my class. Scout was the best behaved inside the classroom. I was really proud of my boy. We have certainly come a long way. Daniel Sweeney and Leader Dog Scout 4 Update

5 Dear Leader Dog, I was reading your newsletter and loved the story about the teacher and her guide dog making such a difference with her students [Issue ]. I have a cool story about Jake, who also works in a school. There was a kid yesterday who gets upset easily in the middle school. He's still very young and has some learning challenges. He loves Jake and earns special time with us if he behaves and acts his age. I was coming down the hall and he was banging lockers. I said, "Oh, you're scaring Jake. You don't want to upset him, do you?" This boy ran over, buried his head in Jake's neck and sobbed all over him. Jake just licked him and even though Jake was in harness, we didn't care. I said, Great job! You are doing the right thing. Now, we're going to call this a tiny disappointment, and you're going to go back to class and sit in an empty seat and be like all the other sixth graders, right?" He mumbled, Right. I reminded him that if he could do that, he could have lunch with Jake and I, and that's all it took. I feel schools need to hire service animals just to calm the kids down. These dogs typically end up doing far more then guiding. I know between the two of us, Jake probably does more social work than I do. I m a social worker in five schools; three elementary, one middle school and one high school. No matter the age of the student, Jake can always break through to them, every single time. Jake and I thank Leader Dog for all the great work they do. Geri Taeckens and Leader Dog Jake N O T E S Dear Leader Dog, Hope likes to go everywhere with me. She goes to my work, shopping and on long walks. When I went to the store recently with Hope, the man working hollered at me to get out because of my guide dog. I showed him my Leader Dog ID card, but the man kept on telling me to get out. A woman in the store saw us and called 911. When the police arrived, they spoke to the man working at the store. One of the policemen told me to go ahead and buy what I needed. I thanked the policeman and have not had any problems since. Susan Smith and Leader Dog Hope Issue

6 Liberatin Cover Story When Marisa Postlewate arrived for her stay on Leader Dog s campus, she felt the same mix of excitement and nerves that clients often feel. Unlike most clients, she did not leave with a new canine companion but with a new set of skills that would greatly enhance her life. By Peggy O Dell Guest Writer Marisa had come to Leader Dog to take part in the Accelerated Mobility Program (AMP). AMP is an intensive seven-day course that teaches the orientation and mobility (O&M) skills needed to travel independently with a cane. Taught by certified O&M instructors, the one client to one instructor ratio and the condensed format of the course allows clients to learn in a week what could take several months with conventional training. For years, Marisa had two canes buried in the back of her closet gathering dust. She knew that as her Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) progressed, she would eventually need more than just her husband s arm to help her get around, but her attempts to find training close to home were unsuccessful. I left my name and number with several organizations, said the retired University of Texas at Arlington professor, but if you re not working, they don t make an effort to train you. No one called me back. Eventually, Marisa reached out to her online RP support group for help. It was there that she met two Leader Dog graduates, Mary Dignan and Megan McHugh. Mary and Megan both had dogs, but they knew that Leader Dog offered O&M training as well, she said. 6 Update Marisa applied for the program and was thrilled when she was approved for training. Marisa found the training to be challenging from the start. For eight hours a day, she practiced using a cane in a wide variety of settings. Training began indoors, where she tackled one of her biggest fears: the stairs. I was always so afraid of falling, but now I feel very comfortable using the cane on stairs, she said.

7 g Canes When you have night blindness, you become like Cinderella and run home when it gets dark outside. Marisa is followed closely by O&M Instructor Meredith Newhouse. Street crossings were particularly challenging for Marisa due to her hearing loss. Marisa and her instructor also ventured out to a grocery store, a coffee shop and a large, crowded shopping mall. We worked on the moving sidewalks and escalators, which are always tricky because people with RP, even if they have some sight left, have trouble with depth perception, she said. When the training moved outdoors, she traveled to different locations that would expose her to a variety of terrains. She practiced on dirt and gravel roads, sidewalks, curbs without sidewalks and even crossed railroad tracks. At one point, she was blindfolded and had to orient herself by listening to the flow of traffic. This was particularly challenging for Marisa because in addition to being legally blind, she also suffers from moderate hearing loss. Being able to orient myself this way will give me much more confidence traveling at night, she said. When you have night blindness, you become like Cinderella and run home when it gets dark outside. In the midst of her training, Marisa even had a chance to work with a guide dog for the first time. She spent an hour walking with Leader Dog-intraining Sophie and was amazed to see what a well-trained guide dog can do. It was a great experience, and I know that when the time comes, I will definitely go back to Leader Dog to get a dog, she said. But for now, Marisa is happy to have returned to her Texas home with her new set of skills. I feel much more confident now because I know that I can use the cane to help me find those curbs, get around in crowds and travel with more ease at night and in low lighting, said Marisa. Her canes have finally been liberated from the closet, the dust blown off, and she confidently takes one with her wherever she goes. Issue

8 Department Spotlight Orientation and Mobility Training Where Am I and How Do I Get Where I Need to Go? After years of slowly losing my vision due to retinitis pigmentosa, I finally got to the point where I needed some cane training. I looked for resources, but didn t find anything available until I learned about Leader Dog. Leader Dog s orientation and mobility program taught me how to travel independently with a cane and how to survive. I felt very empowered when I came home after completing training. Susan Calhoun of Oxford, Georgia FFor Susan, and millions of other people who have lost their sight, getting a guide dog was not the first step in regaining her ability to travel independently. The first step was to learn how to use a white cane and how to understand where she is in the environment she needed orientation and mobility skills. What is Orientation and Mobility (O&M)? Every time you leave your home, whether you are blind or sighted, you use orientation and mobility skills to get where you need to go. Leader Dog O&M Instructor Meredith Newhouse teaches Marisa Postlewate to use the 2-point touch technique tapping the cane in front of both shoulders to follow the grass line to maintain a straight line when walking down the sidewalk. 8 Update

9 During AMP training, clients learn to use their arm to protect their face from protruding objects. In this case, the side view mirror of a truck. Orientation is knowing where you are in your environment and how to get back on track if you get lost. When you are visually impaired, you lose the ability to maintain your orientation by using visual signs and landmarks. You must be taught how to use common patterns in society like how grass often appears between the sidewalk and a street, and how traffic sounds will be on your right or left side as you travel down a sidewalk, to maintain your orientation. Mobility is the ability to physically get to where you need to go. Often, travel aids are used such as a car or bike. For a person who is blind, travel aids usually consist of a white cane or a guide dog. Leader Dog s accelerated mobility program (AMP), like all O&M courses, has the ultimate goal of teaching a person how to travel safely and independently with a white cane. Why Use a White Cane? One important function of a white cane is to identify the person using it as being visually impaired. This is helpful when the person is crossing the street or needs to ask for assistance. Cane users receive tactile feedback about their immediate surroundings through the cane. When their cane touches a soft surface the user may interpret that they are near grass, or if the cane contacts a hard surface, the user may interpret that they are next to a wall. People using a cane can quickly identify elevation changes such as curbs and stairs as well as obstructions like fire hydrants and benches in their travel path. These obstacles can help them determine their location on a street or in a building. Cane Before Leader Dog Developing excellent O&M skills and being able to use a cane to travel independently are prerequisites to getting a Leader Dog. Because people often walk much faster with a guide dog and because they do not receive the tactile feedback that a cane provides, they can also get lost faster if they lack good orientation skills. Leader Dog was motivated to develop our accelerated mobility program because many of our potential guide dog clients lacked the required O&M skills. In order to prepare these people for guide dog training, we decided to teach them the skills needed to succeed. To date, over 200 people have completed our O&M program with over 50% of them returning to Leader Dog to train with a guide dog. Learning to maintain a straight street crossing is an important part of O&M training. Clients learn that listening to the flow of traffic next to them can help them continue in a straight line to walk safely to the opposite curb. History of Orientation and Mobility at Leader Dog It was all about getting people to move. Rod Haneline, Chief Operating Officer 1991 Rod Haneline, an experienced Leader Dog instructor, took classes at Western Michigan University and received his Master s Degree in Orientation & Mobility Early 90's Accelerated Mobility Program (AMP) designed to condense training time and focus on: awareness of the environment, awareness of traffic, and increasing travel speed First Accelerated Mobility Program clients receive O&M training 2002 First AMP class designed with the dual purpose of training AMP clients and university students studying to be O&M instructors Issue

10 Donor Profile 10 Update John Ward learned about Leader Dogs for the Blind as an active member of his local Lions Club. The club donated to Leader Dog and in 1971, John and his wife, Adeline, became donors too. After John s death, Mrs. Ward continues to support John s favorite charity: Leader Dogs for the Blind. Mrs. Ward has become a staunch Leader Dog supporter. She says she is happy if just one person gains independence from her donations. She feels all the programs guide dog, pedestrian GPS and orientation and mobility are extremely worthwhile. She loves keeping in touch with the happenings of Leader Dog by reading Update Shawna Carothers believes that raising money for Leader Dog is a natural fit for her. They helped me by giving me wonderful guide dog, Ellie, Mrs. Adeline M. Ward Continuing to Honor Her Husband when it arrives in her mailbox. At 86, Mrs. Ward is very independent and active. She lives alone and does all her own yard work (on the day we spoke to her for this article, she was raking her leaves). Until two years ago, when her daughter Becky passed away, who is my best friend. She is worth more than any amount of money, but, of course, Leader Dog needs money to be able to provide these wonderful dogs. This is why it is important for others to get out there and make donations and raise funds. Shawna enlisted the help of BraVo! (which stands for Building Relationships and Volunteer Opportunities), a group of individuals with disabilities that works together to give back to the community. Each quarter, BraVo! selects a different charity to support. To raise money for Leader Dog, BraVo! hosted a pulled pork luncheon at United Disability Services in Akron, Ohio. To bring in the dog aspect of Leader Dog, the group also sold homemade dog treats. We would like to thank Shawna and BraVo! for their support. Mrs. Ward and Becky ran the family farm together. Mrs. Ward would drive the tractor while Becky planted. Once while she was reflecting on her life, Mrs. Ward realized that much of the independence she enjoys is based on the fact that she still has her vision. This realization makes her support of Leader Dog even more satisfying, knowing that she can help other people maintain their independence throughout their lifetimes. Mrs. Ward says that her giving is from the heart. To ensure that the legacy of her husband John and daughter Becky lives on, she has included Leader Dog in her estate plans. She hopes that she can motivate others to give, or give a little more, to Leader Dog. A Leader Dog Graduate Giving Back Many of the people who come to Leader Dog to receive a guide dog end up as donors and supporters. That is the case for Shawna Carothers, a 2009 graduate. Shawna and Ellie pose in front of a very powerful quote by Martin Luther King, Jr., Everyone can be great because everyone can serve. Shawna took charge of the money during the luncheon. Look close those are Leader Dog brochures spread out in front of Shawna. She not only wants to raise money but also awareness for Leader Dog s programs.

11 You are invited to join the Leader Dogs for the Blind Legacy Society TThis prestigious society has been 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 account, such as an IRA or other retirement plan. As a beneficiary on a life insurance policy. As a remainder beneficiary on a charitable gift annuity or trust that pays you (and/or another) an income during your lifetime(s). As lead beneficiary on a charitable lead trust. Donors who join this prestigious society before June 30, 2011 will hold the special title of Founding Member of the Legacy Society. Winifred Bailey* John and Hazel Banks Family Trust 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* Whether you join the Society or remain anonymous, your future gift will help to ensure that Leader Dog will be able to continue to provide increased independence to people that are blind or Deaf-blind. We look forward to hearing from you. Kim Cross, CFRE Director of National Major and Planned Gifts Direct Dial: kcross@leaderdog.org Roberta Trzos, CFRE Director of Personal Giving Direct Dial: rtrzos@leaderdog.org Creating a provision for Leader Dogs for the Blind in your estate plans is a true partnership. New Legacy Society Founding Members John Frischkorn* Barbara and Lon Grossman Dee and Bill Hancock Rod Haneline Mark & Judy Harris Gust Headbloom (Gift in Honor of)* John Hebert Fred and Katie Hershey Mark and Connie Lentz Donna M. Lieberman Jeanne D. and Robert C. Meyer Lynda Ann Peringian* Ginger K. and Glenn R. Rossow Charles and Mary Schwab John Simek and Honey Girls* Walter J. Szymanski and Barbara A. Szymanski M.A. Walker* Gary A. White Family* Louise and Nathan Wyman *New Founding Members As Of November 2010 Issue

12 Mission Moment eader Dog Tarbah and I are bonding L as if we were meant to be together. She has helped me get around with much less effort and anxiety! I never realized that would be possible. Tarbah is my new best friend and companion who is also dedicated to being my eyes for me. God bless you all for giving us this opportunity at a second chance of becoming independent and confident. Brittany Sikorski and her 1st Leader Dog, Tarbah Over the past year, the team at Leader Dog has implemented some new programs and improved procedures all while staying within our budget. Call it bragging, but we want you to know some of what we have accomplished this past year. Instructor Wendy Eichler teaches a dog to traffic check, or to look for and avoid moving cars, during phases three and four of training. We reduced our client to instructor ratio from 6 clients per instructor to 4.5 clients per instructor. This allows for more personalized instruction, which helps both the client and their Leader Dog build stronger skills while on campus. We implemented more rigorous training standards for our dogs. Dogs are now required to learn a nonnegotiable set of skills during each of the four phases of training. The 12 Update A Recap of 2010 Or, What Have We Been Doing for the Past 12 Months? outcome is that every dog is better prepared for training with a client than ever before. We included more Leader Dog clients on our board of trustees and consumer services program committee that provides guidance on current procedures and potential program changes. We now have a better understanding of how our clients may be positively or negatively affected by changes early in the planning process. We increased the ability of our clients to access needed information and applications online and in audio format. This allows us to communicate more efficiently and effectively in the manner that works best for each client. We added a downtown Detroit staging facility in the Compuware Corporation building. This donated space gives our clients, instructors and dogs a place to gather when training in the urban setting. In 2010, we: trained 167 guide dog teams trained 4 Deaf-blind guide dog teams trained 30 accelerated mobility clients hosted 12 kids at summer camp visited 243 clients in their homes completed 251 potential client in-home visits The veterinary department completed: 421 dog spay/neuters 35 major surgeries 445 entry/training exams 37 specialized dental procedures 2,484 client telephone consultations 52 onsite working Leader Dog exams 1,028 breeding/puppy program exams 1,269 procedures done under anesthesia 790 well-puppy visits Dr. Kelly Wilson exams a Future Leader Dog.

13 A Short Interview with Our New Chairman Paul Teranes, Leader Dog Chairman of the Board When Paul Teranes was installed as the chair for Leader Dog s board of trustees, he came with a different perspective from all past chairmen. He entered the position not only as a long-time board member but as a long-time Leader Dog client. Teranes first came to Leader Dog in 1958 and received his first dog, Frosty. How have you seen Leader Dog change over the past 52 years? The complexity has completely changed since Then, we had only twelve people and two instructors in a class. The original farmhouse had a cinderblock attachment for dorm rooms. Administration was a one- to two-man operation, and now there s a whole staff with people as CEO, CFO, COO. As far as the training staff is concerned the original trainers did not include any women and most of them were former military people who were dog trainers in the army. There was a military approach to training; now there s a more people-oriented approach since trainers deal more with people than with dogs. Do you feel that your experiences as a Leader Dog client will benefit you in the position of board chairman? Yes. I think it will be a benefit because I know what it is like to be a client and go through the program. I know what the training involves. I ve experienced what the operation is all about, having stayed in the residence many times and worked with the trainers. Do you have a favorite Leader Dog story? When you use a Leader Dog, people actually forget that you are blind since you can get around as well as everyone else. On more than one occasion, I was leaving the courthouse [Teranes is a retired circuit court judge] with attorneys that had known me for years when they d ask, Where is your car parked? I d tell them that I took the bus. After a pause they d quietly answer, Oh yeah. What do you envision for the future of Leader Dog? Right now the whole future Teranes trained with his of Leader Dog is getting into a current Leader Dog, Duke, program of setting standards in for the dogs and the clients world class is hard to measure without standards. I envision that the product will be better because we are setting and adhering to these new standards. I have a wish for Leader Dog to have a strong foundation so there are no concerns about funds to maintain the operations and to have sufficient funding to carry all our programs into the future. Join us on Facebook by searching Leader Dogs for the Blind non-profit organization (capitalization counts) Check out recent client and event photos at flickr.com/photos/leaderdog Sign up at leaderdog.org to receive updates on happenings at Leader Dog $ Donate online 24/7 at community.leaderdog.org/donatenow Issue

14 Leader Dogs are Stars at Pet Supplies Plus Though pets are always #1 at Pet Supplies Plus, throughout the 2010 holiday season they gave future and current Leader Dogs a little boost above the rest. During this time, more than 120 Pet Supplies Plus stores in 15 states joined in the Leading Stars fundraising campaign benefiting Leader Dogs for the Blind. During the campaign, shoppers could make a donation upon checkout presents and display a Puppy Pledge card with their names in the store. To celebrate and promote the campaign, 50 Leader Dog volunteers, graduates and Lions Club members visited Pet Supplies Plus stores in eight states to give customers the chance to meet a future or working Leader Dog and to learn more about our programs. We would like to thank Pet Supplies Plus, their customers and our volunteers and graduates who helped raise over $30,000 through the Leading Stars campaign. Future Leader Dog Gus surveys the aisles of the Pet Supplies Plus store in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. His puppy raiser, Patti Brehler, took him to the store in support of the Leading Stars campaign. Tracy and Ben Dreslinski took Future Leader Dog Sydney, who was the puppy featured in the campaign, to their local store in Rochester Hills to show their support. 14 Update

15 A Little Event Brings Big Success Lions of District 25-A Sometimes small events, fueled with ingenuity, can bring about big outcomes. This is true for the dinner dance that the Lions of District 25-A (Northwest Indiana) planned in With an initial goal of raising $2,500 for Leader Dog, the planning of a simple dinner dance grew to include beer and wine tastings, raffles and silent and live auctions. In the end, the event raised $6,700 well over twice the original goal! The event s success is due to the hard work of Lions Leader Dog Chair Chuck De Las Casas and a small team of volunteers. Several of the ways they raised money included: Selling $50 and $100 sponsorship opportunities Coaxing auction item and service donations from local businesses Selling over 220 dinner tickets at $20 each Assembling all 50 auction baskets Getting the event space donated Negotiating with a caterer for special pricing Convincing the beer and wine provider to donate part of its proceeds back to the event With a first-year success story like theirs, it is no surprise that the group decided to make the dinner dance an annual event. In 2010, they raised $7,800 for Leader Dog and planning has already started for Leader Dogs for the Blind would like to thank the Lions of District 25-A for their gifts of time, effort and money to Leader Dog and for increasing awareness of Leader Dog and the Lions Clubs in their local community. Dreams are as varied as the people who have them. Your dream may be to secure your income for life and decrease your next tax bill. Or it may be to help make someone else s dream of receiving a Leader Dog a reality. A charitable gift annuity (CGA) is a great way to meet all these dreams with just one transaction. Investing in a Leader Dog CGA allows you to exchange a gift of cash or securities for a fixed yearly income for your lifetime (or for the lives of two people). Other benefits are: Become a Dream Maker - A tax deduction - A portion of the payout is tax-free - Capital gains tax savings for stock or security donations - Unlimited amounts of personal satisfaction Current one-life interest rates (as of December 2010) Age... Rate Age...Rate % % % % % % % % To learn how you can invest in a Leader Dog CGA and become a Dream Maker, contact: Kim Cross, CFRE Director of National Major & Planned Gifts kcross@leaderdog.org Roberta S. Trzos, CFRE Director of Personal Giving rtrzos@leaderdog.org Issue

16 1039 S. Rochester Road Rochester Hills, MI Toll Free Phone Non-Profit Org. U. S. POSTAGE PAID Rochester, Mi Permit No. 104 Thank you to everyone that helped make our 19th annual Lead in the Holidays fundraising event our most successful ever. Held at the GM Heritage Center, attendees were able to meet and greet our clients, our canines and our staff while enjoying the beautiful sight of row upon row of classic GM vehicles. Planning for our 20th annual event is already underway and we expect the evening to be bigger and better than ever before. Lead in the Holidays 2010 Special Guests: Bob Lutz, Joel Alexander and Don Bowman We d like to thank our title sponsors for helping give our guests The Unexpected Experience and Chairpersons Bobbi and Stephen Polk Vision: The Vision of Leader Dogs for the Blind is to become the most innovative and forward thinking organization in the profession. Mission: Our mission is to enhance the lives of people who are blind and visually impaired. Leader Dog Instructor Debbie Komondy Values: Respect and compassion for people and dogs Passion for the work Safety in all we do Do what is right Innovation in our field Teamwork Privacy Statement: Leader Dogs for the Blind does not sell, share, rent or otherwise disclose personal information regarding our donors to other organizations.