Guide Dog of the
Desert Fundraiser
HARPO, MICHELLE VELIZ, LINDA SIMMONS WITH GUIDE DOGS, LOU LOU AND WINDY-Photo Pat Krause
Story and Photos by Pat Krause sible to their clients. On Friday the 10th, Guide Dogs of the Desert organized an All-American Fundraiser at the SHOW at the Agua Caliente Resort Casino. The theme for the event was ‘Jazzy Night Out,’ which featured special guest Diane Schuur, a two-time Grammy winner. Over a hundred guests attended the gala, welcomed by a reception and silent auction. The unique aspect of this fundraiser was that guests were allowed to bring their dogs along, and several guide dogs appeared for guests to see. However, it is essential to note that one should never pet a guide dog as it might disrupt training; one can only observe them in action. In the green room, three puppies will eventually be trained as Guide Dogs to give visually impaired clients the freedom and mobility they could not have otherwise. All services Guide Dogs of the Desert provide are acces-
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During the dinner hour, Jeff Hocker sang the National Anthem with everyone standing, many with their hand over their heart. The speakers elaborated on the reason for the fundraiser and showed photos MARGARET BURKERT, TREVOR SMITH, BOARD MEMof people with their Guide BER SHELLIE READE, AND CHARLIE CHAPLIN IMPERDogs on the big screen. SONATOR WITH GUIDE DOG JOEY. They also introduced the and expensive, so the fundraiser is volunteers that keep things running necessary to keep the program runsmoothly, the Board of Directors, and ning as more and more guide dogs are other dignitaries. needed today. Retired General Guido Portante mentioned that training a guide dog takes around three years and $50,000. Volunteer puppy raisers are given a dog to raise and coach for over two years, following which they give up the dog for intensive training. Finally, a suitable match is made for a future owner, and they train together for a few more weeks. The process is long
The honored guest of the evening was Diane Schuur, who took the stage with two entertainers to perform on the piano and sing for the audience. She served for almost an hour, much to the delight of her fans. The Guide Dog program was established in 1972, and the funds raised from the event will keep the program running. November, 2023
