OREGON FALL LUNCHEON KEYNOTE

SPEAKER TREVOR THOMAS WITH HIS

GUIDE DOG, TENNILLE. SEE P11.

PA

WS

IN

PO

RT

LA

ND

FR

IEN

DL

Y F

AC

ES

EV

EN

TS

AR

E U

SWe hosted the 2015

Alumni Reunion and

Retreat in Portland, Ore.

in September. The

travel-based theme

was “Paws Around

the World.” p4

GDB is excited to

welcome two new

staff members to

our Development

Department team.

Meet Sue Dishart

and Nora Niesen. p8

We’ve been busy with

events around here! From

fundraisers to educational

experiences, check out

recaps of our recent

activities in the Happenings

section. p10

GUIDE DOG NEWSThe Quarterly Publication of Guide Dogs for the Blind

2015 ISSUE 4

Full Member

Congratulations to GDB puppy raiser Kelley Mellott of

Lemoore, Calif. who won a $500 scholarship and the second

place National FFA Proficiency Award in Small Animal

Production and Care for her participation in the GDB puppy

raising program. GDB puppy raising is an approved Supervised

Agricultural Experience (SAE) project, a required component

of the FFA program.

As a member of the

Lemoore chapter of the

FFA, Kelley became

eligible for the national

award after winning the

California State FFA

competition earlier this

year when she was a

high school senior (she

is now a freshman at

Fresno State University).

She was recognized at

the national finals during

the 88th National FFA

Convention & Expo in

Louisville, Ky. in October.

The proficiency awards

recognize outstanding

student achievement in agribusiness gained through

establishment of a new business, working for an existing

company, or otherwise gaining hands-on career experience.

The Small Animal Production and Care-Entrepreneurship/

Placement Award is one of 49 proficiency program areas

in which FFA members can participate to develop valuable

experience and leadership skills at the local, state, and

national levels.

A NON-PROFIT, CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION

800.295.4050GUIDEDOGS.COM

National Office/California Campus:350 Los Ranchitos Road San Rafael, CA 94903

Oregon Campus:32901 S.E. Kelso Road

Boring, OR 97009

Officers Christine Benninger—President & CEO

Cathy Martin—Treasurer & CFOBob Burke—Chair

Stuart Odell—Vice ChairRuth Ann Dodson—Vice Chair, PNW

Joan Boyd—Vice Chair, Finance Jay Harris—Secretary

DirectorsLen AlmalechSigrid Button

Melissa HudsonDeborah KendrickGeorge Kerscher

Stephen MansfieldAndrew Mathieson

Jack Scott

Todd Bradley, Advisor Photo Credits Morry Anne Angell - cover, p3, p5, p7, p8, p10 (bottom), p11Nathan Edgar/Texas Tech University - p9 Sierra Fish - p5 (top left), p12Julie O’Kelly - p2Ed Smith - p10 (top), Submitted - p6, p9 (top), p8

Guide Dogs for the Blind follows the guidelines recommended by the Council of U.S. Dog Guide Schools for the humane care and training of our dogs, and the instruction and services offered to our students and alumni.

Guide Dog News is published for the information of GDB supporters. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without permission from Guide Dogs for the Blind.

© Guide Dogs for the Blind

Please recycle this newsletter!

KUDOS

KELLEY MELLOTT

GR

EE

TIN

GS

FR

OM

TH

E C

EO

Greetings,

As the year draws

to a close, I have

been reflecting on

how blessed we are

to have so many

wonderful people in our

community. Our alums,

staff, donors, raisers,

and other volunteers are

simply amazing! They all

bring so much passion

and care to all that they

do. We simply couldn’t

fulfill our mission without them and we are so very grateful to be surrounded by so

many amazing individuals!

I had the pleasure of taking part in my first alumni reunion this Fall in Portland. The

theme of the reunion was “Paws Around the World” and it focused on traveling with

one’s guide both near and far. It was an amazing event and the largest attendance to

date! It was wonderful to see so many grads and their guides gathered in one place,

reconnecting with friends and forging new friendships as well. It was a bit chaotic with

three conventions sharing the hotel, but our grads handled it all with grace, humor,

and skill, doing a great job navigating these unfamiliar places and spaces! The tenor

of the event was overwhelmingly positive and grads reveled in sharing their wisdom

and funny stories about travel. It was very rewarding to hear how proud they are to

be part of our world class alumni association and that they are very happy with the

services they receive and the staff that support them. Check out pages 4 and 5 to see

some highlights from the event.

I hope that you have a joyous and safe holiday season!

Wishing you all the best,

Christine Benninger

President and CEO

3

CHRISTINE BENNINGER

4

In September, GDB hosted an Alumni Reunion and Retreat in Portland, Ore. Held every

other year, the event brings together alumni, puppy raisers, and volunteers for an extended

weekend of fun activities, educational seminars, and social gatherings. More than 150 people

and their dogs from across the U.S. and Canada enjoyed activities in the City of Roses, such as

a chocolate decadence walking tour and a beer tasting outing, and took in seminars covering

informative and diverse topics such as self defense and wayfinding using GPS technology.

The theme of the reunion was “Paws Around

the World,” and at the reunion’s Saturday night

awards banquet, the keynote speaker, GDB

board member and experienced traveler George

Kerscher, regaled guests with stories of exploring

the world through the years with his guide dogs

(his first guide was Mikey; his current guide is

Kroner). The banquet was also a special time to

celebrate the contributions made to the guide dog community by fellow GDB alumni, staff,

and volunteers. Honorees included:

• Puppy raiser Megan Minkiewicz, The Most Treasured Award, for extraordinary efforts

towards developing new partnerships to support the future of Guide Dogs for the Blind.

• GDB alumna Tracy Boyd, The Forward Award, for extraordinary leadership in promoting

the guide dog lifestyle.

• Volunteer Joyce Shea, The Blondie Award, named in honor of one of our first guide dogs

and given to a volunteer who has demonstrated selfless, enthusiastic service to GDB.

• Puppy raiser and founder/CEO of Dogs for Diabetics Mark Ruefenacht, The Laurie

Shepherd Award, named in honor of GDB alumna Laurie Shepherd who worked tirelessly

on behalf of the access rights of guide dogs and their handlers; awarded to a member of

the GDB community who has shown excellence in advocacy.

• GDB Veterinarian Dr. Patti Van De Coevering, The Doc Award, for providing

extraordinary care for canine heroes.

• GDB Support Center Specialist Marc Gillard, The Sue Sullivan Superior Staff Award,

given in appreciation to a GDB staff member who has made extraordinary contributions

to the GDB community.

• GDB Class Supervisor Keith Laber, Lifetime Achievement Award, given to recognize and

honor the achievements of a lifetime dedicated to guide dogs, their handlers, and the blind.

The reunion concluded on Sunday with a tour and lunch at our Oregon campus. GDB is one

of the only guide dog schools in the world to have an alumni association and we’re so proud

to host this special event to celebrate our amazing graduates and their partnerships.

AL

UM

NI

RE

UN

ION

& R

ET

RE

AT

5

Scenes from the 2015 Alumni Reunion and Retreat. To see all of the

photos, visit our Flickr site: flickr.com/photos/guidedogsfortheblind.

6

Jamie Smith Carr’s affiliation with Guide Dogs for the Blind

began ten years ago when friends introduced her to the

organization at a GDB ”friend raising” event at their home.

“I liked what I heard,” Jamie said. “Puppies, dogs, and

helping to provide an improved quality of life for people…

what could be better? So I decided to look further into the

program and see what I could do to help spread the word

about GDB’s wonderful work.”

Shortly thereafter, Jamie visited our California campus in

San Rafael and immediately was impressed. “Not only were

the puppies adorable,

but I observed several

clients working with

their guide dogs.

Everything about the

program spoke to my

heart.” Jamie then

went on to host her

own friend raising

event in her home in

Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

and has been an ardent

supporter ever since.

“I’ve gotten to know a couple of the clients and their guides,

and marvel at these relationships,” she said. “Hearing about

how people’s lives are transformed once they connect with

their guide dogs is inspiring. What impresses me most is

the commitment GDB has for the life of its guide dog teams

and the continued care provided to the dogs. Helping to

support the programs at GDB brings me happiness knowing

I am helping to make a difference in someone’s life in a very

significant way. A guide dog gives a person who is blind

or visually impaired the gift of freedom to move about

in this world in a way they may not otherwise be able to

experience. I like being a part of the formula!”

PR

ES

IDE

NT

’S C

IRC

LE

PR

OF

ILE

JAMIE

SMITH

CARR

Give the gift of

love this holiday

season. Shop for

gifts and provide

essentials for

guide dogs

in training at

guidedogs.com/

catalog.

It just got easier

to help us fulfill

our life-changing

mission: now

accepting PayPal

on guidedogs.com/

donate.

7

As a long-time resident of Marin County and dog

enthusiast, Jack Scott was thrilled to be invited

to join GDB’s board several years ago. “One of

my friends was on the board for many years and

in 2001 we moved to our current house down the

street from GDB and became neighbors. I tried

to volunteer for GDB on a couple of occasions

over the years, but it never quite worked out,” he

said. “Finally in 2012, I was called about serving on

the board by another friend and I jumped at the

chance to make a contribution.”

Jack has indeed been a strong contributor to our

board, bringing passion for our mission along with

deep expertise in talent management. He has spent

his career as a consultant and recruiter developing

and advising high performance management teams

and is currently the operating partner responsible for human capital at the private equity firm

Friedman, Fleischer, and Lowe in San Francisco. Jack previously worked for other notable

firms such as Heidrick and Struggles and Korn/Ferry, and has also helped a number of

non-profits figure out how to best attract and retain top talent. In addition to his role at

GDB, Jack has helped advise the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the San Francisco

Symphony, KQED, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Jack is impressed by the talent he sees

in action at GDB and says he wishes more people knew how committed the staff are to our

graduates and to the dogs. “I have never seen an organization with SO much passion and

SO much talent,” he said. His affiliation with GDB has been very positive noting, “the most

rewarding part is seeing the difference we make in people’s lives every day and working with

such a talented group of directors.”

When Jack isn’t busy working or supporting GDB, he enjoys many artistic and athletic

pursuits: “I am a huge sports and music fan and an art enthusiast,” he said. “Most of all, I love

to spend time with my family, but I also love to ski, play golf, hike, travel, deep sea fish, draw,

and paint with water colors.” He is such a fan of the arts in fact, that if he were to pursue a

different career path, he might just become an artist and a teacher. “I love to paint and I love

to teach and be a mentor to young people. For my senior project in high school I taught an art

class and someday I hope to do that again.” GDB is fortunate to be the beneficiary of Jack’s

enthusiasm, expertise, and diverse perspectives.

BO

AR

D P

RO

FIL

E

JACK SCOTT

8

ST

AF

F P

RO

FIL

EGuide Dogs for the Blind is pleased to introduce two new

members of our Development team: Planned Giving Officer

Sue Dishart and Corporate and Foundation Gifts Manager

Nora Niesen.

Prior to coming to GDB, Sue held senior development

positions with the Girl Scouts of America in Pittsburgh, Pa.,

and Pleasantville, NY, and most recently was the development

director at Guiding Eyes for the Blind in Yorktown Heights, NY.

She has experience directing corporate, foundation, and major

individual fundraising strategies through annual fund donations,

capital project support, and planned gifts. In her role at GDB,

Sue works with our Legacy Society members who have included

GDB in their estate plans.

“I feel blessed to be a part of the largest guide dog school in

the country,” Sue said. “GDB does such great work and provides

high quality training services and support for our clients. Our

innovation, passion, and dedication are apparent in everything we do.” Sue is originally from

the Pittsburgh area and currently lives in Novato, Calif. She and her husband have three

grown children.

Nora is excited to combine her professional and personal passions here at GDB. She

previously worked in business development at the Foundation Center and in higher education

funding at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in New York, and in sales for Houghton Mifflin

in both New York and New Mexico. She also has experience volunteering and fundraising

for animal welfare organizations across the country. At GDB, Nora oversees corporate and

foundation donor partnerships, including grant writing.

“I’m inspired daily by the dedication of GDB’s staff, volunteers, and clients,” Nora said.

“Everyone is committed to ensuring our teams get the best care imaginable at every stage.

Guide dogs add invaluable safety and confidence to partnerships, and to see teams interact

on a daily basis is so inspiring.” Originally from the Boston area, Nora currently lives in San

Francisco with her husband and 17-year-old cat.

“We are very excited to have these two experienced professionals join our Development

team,” said GDB’s Vice President of Philanthropy Tom Horton. “Both Sue and Nora have

strong development backgrounds and will greatly contribute to our mission and

fundraising efforts moving forward.”

SUE DISHART (L) AND NORA NIESEN

9

AL

UM

NI

UP

DA

TE

S

• Ashley Melero, along with her guide dog, yellow Lab Truffle, spent a month this summer in

Washington, D.C. where Ashley had an internship at the U.S. Capitol with Congresswoman

Sheila Jackson Lee. Ashley is a senior at Texas Tech University, with a double major in social

work and sociology, and wanted to see the policy side of social work in action. “I couldn’t

even have imagined that it would be the way it is,” Ashley said. She had the opportunity to

do things such as write floor statements and letters requesting support for bills authored by

the congresswoman. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the work [we were tasked with] in this

office,” she said. As for Truffle, the Hill’s only canine intern? Sometimes she would get a little

too comfortable under Ashley’s desk. “Truffle snores!” Ashley said with a laugh. The duo is

pictured below with their fellow Texas Tech congressional interns.

• Pictured: Melissa Pardon’s yellow Lab

guide Cameo enjoying some down time

by snuggling up

with Melissa’s 8.5

month-old daughter

and a good book.

Cameo is recovering

from a recent

surgery near her

eye and has fallen in

love with the baby.

We’d say the feeling

is mutual!

• Anne Ng of Washington, D.C. was recently

recognized as one of the recipients of

the 2015 Secretary of Defense Awards

for Outstanding Department of Defense

Employees and Service Members with

Disabilities. These awards honor the

accomplishments and abilities of employees

and service members with disabilities

who have made significant contributions

to their components’ missions. Ann is a

management analyst for the Department of

the Navy at the Pentagon. Her guide dog is

black Lab Iza.

HA

PP

EN

ING

S

10

CANINE HEROES AUCTION

In September, GDB’s signature fundraising event,

our Canine Heroes Auction, made its debut in

San Francisco. Held in the historic Presidio, the 13th

annual event raised more than $737,000 to support

veterinary care for GDB program dogs and puppies.

The evening featured a reception and silent auction,

followed by an elegant dinner by McCalls Catering

and a spirited live auction led by Auctioneer Greg

Quiroga. More than 400 guests enjoyed the keynote

address by longtime GDB supporters Lorrie and

Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger (left, with their

retired GDB breeder dog, Fame). Many thanks to our

sponsors: Presenting Sponsor: Kiewit Infrastructure

West. Gold: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld

LLP. Silver: Callan Associates, GCM Grosvenor, JP

Morgan/Highbridge Capital Management. Bronze:

Dodge and Cox, Goldman Sachs, Invesco, Mesirow

Financial, Standish Mellon Asset Management.

SAVE THE DATE

PINOT & PUPS WINE AUCTION

Saturday, June 18, 2016 | Portland, OR

Visit guidedogs.com/events for more info.

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

For the first time, on the night prior to

our Canine Heroes Auction, GDB held

a separate event in the same venue

called Dog Days of Summer. More than

100 people came out to dance to the

beats of DJ Matt Haze and HUSH Silent

Disco, and enjoy food and libations

from Anchor Brewing Company, ANEW

Wines, Bella Luxe Catering, Green

Chile Kitchen, Krumbs Cakes, Motto

Wines, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and

Three Twins Ice Cream. The event was

a fun and affordable way for people

to support GDB, learn more about our

mission, and meet puppies!

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

11

OREGON FALL LUNCHEON

GDB’s autumn tradition continued the first week

of November with our sold-out Oregon Fall

Luncheon, held at The Nines Hotel in Portland.

GDB graduate and long-distance solo hiker

Trevor Thomas delighted a sold-out crowd of

325 people with tales of his adventures on the

trail and in life with his guide dog, black Lab

Tennille. A puppy delivery rounded out the

event, where seven puppy raisers received their

new pups. Thank you to our sponsors: Companion

and Puppy Delivery Sponsor: NW Natural. Buddy

Sponsors: OnPoint Community Credit Union, The

Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation.

Friend Sponsors: Charles Schwab-Portland Oregon

Branch, Dunn Carney Allen Higgins & Tongue LLP,

Perkins & Co.

ALASKA AIRLINES HANGAR EVENT

GDB recently teamed up with our partner, Alaska

Airlines, for a simulated airplane travel event.

Held at an Alaska Airlines hangar in Seattle, more

than a dozen GDB puppy raisers, alumni, and their

dogs participated in a mock flight to learn the ins

and outs of the boarding, deplaning, and safety

procedures associated with commercial air travel.

Participants also got to touch and explore different

areas of the airplane, including visits to the cockpit.

The experience benefitted not only our grads and

raisers as they learned how best to navigate a

plane with dogs at their sides, but was also educational for the volunteer Alaska Airlines staff since

they were able to ask lots of questions about how best to provide exceptional customer service

for people who are visually impaired or those who are traveling with service dogs. Many thanks to

Alaska Airlines for hosting such an informative and interactive experience!

ALASKA AIRLINES EMPLOYEES WITH GDB OUTREACH

REPRESENTATIVE JAKE KOCH AND HIS GUIDE FORLI.

LEFT: BARBARA COIT YEAGER GETS A VISIT FROM A GDB PUPPY DURING THE OREGON FALL LUNCHEON PUPPY

DELIVERY. RIGHT: CLASS SUPERVISOR LORI BROWN GIVING A GUIDE DOG TRAINING DEMO ON STAGE.

P.O. Box 151200

San Rafael, California

94915-1200

PAID

NONPROFIT ORG

U.S. POSTAGE

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

• SEND A DONATION TODAY Please use our mailing address for donations only: Guide Dogs for the Blind, P.O. Box 17068, Baltimore, MD 21297-0334. You can also donate online: guidedogs.com.

• ELIMINATE CHECKS/POSTAGE Direct your bank to automatically transfer your donation.

• MAKE AN HONOR OR MEMORIAL GIFT Pay tribute to a friend, relative, or pet; cards of celebration or sympathy will be sent in your name.

• CREATE A LEGACY IN YOUR ESTATE Name GDB in your will, trust, or as a beneficiary of your annuity, life insurance policy, IRA, or retirement plan. We honor such commitments with membership in our Legacy Society.

• DESIGNATE YOUR GIFT Designate your donation to go toward a specific GDB program. Contact us for more info.

Guide Dogs for the Blind will, on

occasion, share donor information with

like-minded non-profit organizations in

an effort to better fulfill our mission and

serve our clients. If you do not wish to

have your information shared, please

call our Development Department at

800.295.4050 extension 4160 or email

us at donations@guidedogs.com.

DMS

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GIFTS

!GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND ESTATE PLANNINGq I have already included Guide Dogs for the Blind in my estate plan. I accept the

invitation to be recognized as a member of the Legacy Society.

q Please send me suggested language to use in my will or trust.

q I would like to receive the Planning Your Legacy guide for preparing wills and trusts.

Name: ____________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________

Phone: _______________________ Email: _______________________________

Return to Sue Dishart - Planned Giving Officer / Joan Scott - Planned Giving Coordinator

Guide Dogs for the Blind, P.O. Box 151200, San Rafael, CA 94915-1200

For more information on estate

planning, please return the coupon

below, visit guidedogs.com/

plannedgiving, or call our planned

giving team at 800.295.4050

ext. 2289 (Sue) or ext. 4073 (Joan).

PLEASE CONSIDER A

GIFT TO GUIDE DOGS

FOR THE BLIND IN YOUR

ESTATE PLAN.

JR QUEVEDO

AND GRIFF