Giving back
‘New York on Paws’: Guiding Eyes for the Blind
finds temporary homes for guide dogs in training
BY BETH DEDMAN
Guiding Eyes for the Blind, which
provides guide dogs to blind and
visually impaired individuals at
no cost to the recipient, has paired each
of its March graduates with guides.
When the shelter-in-place order went
into effect, Guiding Eyes for the Blind had
170 puppies in its care that were undergoing
training. Within one day, they found
22 families to take those dogs into their
homes for the duration of the lockdown.
Thomas Panek, the CEO of Guiding
Eyes for the Blind, refers to the halt in the
training process as “New York on Paws.”
“It has affected us in a big way,” Panek
said. “We are a human services organization.
We provide these dogs for people to
be mobile, which for the blind that means
things like going to the grocery store, going
to the pharmacy, going to the doctor.”
Guiding Eyes for the Blind is seeking
people to temporarily house the dogs,
but also for people to help raise the guide
dogs, with specifi c training and behavioral
techniques, which would then be
given to someone in need of a guide dog.
Because of the shelter-in-place order,
some students of the program who are
visually impaired were sent home with
their guide after only two weeks of training
instead of the usual three.
“I think it will be very meaningful for
people when the pause is lifted,” Panek
said. “I think it will take some time to
get back to those students and fi nish the
training.”
Panek, visually-impaired himself, has a
guide dog named Blaze, who he sees not
Window messages
brings hope for
Ronald McDonald
House patients
BY GRANT LANCASTER
One New Yorker is sharing a message of positivity for children
staying at Ronald McDonald House in the city during social
distancing, and asking others to do the same.
Lauren Goldberg wants New Yorkers to share their messages of positivity
written on their windows with dry-erase markers by taking pictures
for social media using #HopeForTheHouse.
This was one of the ways Goldberg kept her brother Dutch’s spirits up
when he was staying at the house during treatment for his Neuroblastoma,
she said.
Although Dutch lost his battle with cancer, the method of brightening
spirits in these uncertain times still works for Goldberg, and she encourages
others to share the messages during times when people may feel alone
while social distancing.
only as a means to get around but also as
a close companion.
“Guide dogs love to work and they
don’t understand why they aren’t working
right now,” Panek said. “As a person
with a dog, it’s a good time from a mental
health perspective to take care of our dog
and walk your dog. Of course, keep social
distancing, but it’s important to maintain
PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK/GUIDING EYES FOR THE BLIND
your health and the dogs and get some
exercise.”
Guiding Eyes for the Blind is seeking
people to help by sponsoring or caring for
dogs during the pandemic.
More information about Guiding Eyes
for the Blind is available at www.guidingeyes.
org.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ADRIANNA KILLIP
18 April 16,2020 Schneps Media
/www.guiding-eyes.org
/www.guiding-eyes.org
/www.guiding-eyes.org
