Contact:
Kelly Misch
Director of Communications
Chardon Local Schools
440.286.0409
October 23, 2023 — Thank you to Guiding Eyes for the Blind local volunteer Betsy Dunn and team who generously gave of their time and educational expertise for Chardon Early Learning Center Kindergarten classes on Oct. 9.
The school's on-site event encompassed 30-minute classroom visits to showcase the Guiding Eyes for the Blind program with "visual aids" very well received by the students — real-life new puppies, dogs in the current training program, and dogs that have been retired from the program!
Learning About the 5 Senses
Kindergarten teacher Amy Ridgeway shared that in prior weeks, Tiny Toppers had been learning in class all about the five senses, including individuals with vision loss.
Ms. Dunn stated during a phone interview on Oct. 23, "Guiding Eyes for the Blind was pleased to support their lesson by providing an interactive presentation on the importance of helping the blind and what good noses our dogs have."
Service Opportunity
Students also learned during the visit that worldwide there is a long wait list for individuals in need of guide dogs — whether that need is due to vision loss or other life challenges.
Ms. Dunn stated, "It's a three- to five-five-year waiting list. There are no guide dogs without puppy raisers. In response to this need, our program is looking for community members with interest in learning to train new guide dogs. Training is available on Wednesday evenings in North Randall. The program has a pre-placement process to ensure the best puppy-to-home matches."
To learn more about the Guiding Eyes for the Blind pre-placement process and training to raise a guide dog, contact Regional Puppy Instructor Macy Nauman at [email protected] or 440.552.2781.
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We Believe High-Quality Learning Experiences are Essential for All Students