The Guideway A Publication of the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind Volume 62 No. 3 Stories are separated by four ampersands to help you to jump from article to article. &&&& In this issue: Blazing a Trail at Any Age: Graduate Gillian Lindt Sidebar: The Aging American and Vision Loss Recent Graduates A Message from our CEO Puppy Raising: Give a Gift to Someone You Haven't Met America's VetDogs Holds First On-Campus Service Dog Class The Importance of Year-End Charitable Giving Dog Treats Little Kids, Big Hearts Food for Thought &&&& Blazing a Trail at any age Surely there must be people more interesting than she, Gillian Lindt insists, but she's being modest. In the 1950s and early '60s, at a time when women were still a rarity in the ranks of academia, this pioneer was earning her advanced degrees. She says simply, "Hopefully, I made it a tad easier for those who followed." Born in England to parents who were freelance journalists, Lindt spent her childhood traveling among their friends and relatives all over Europe. But when World War II broke out, the family relocated to London and subsequently to Switzerland where she went to school. The war finally became real to her in 1944 when, on a pitch-dark night, her father took her outside. Forty miles to the south, the city of Milan, where they had relatives, was burning. "I can see the flames and sense the horror to this day," she says. It was these experiences that propelled Lindt into her area of specialization. "I studied sociology because I was afraid we would end up in another world war, and I wanted to learn how we could create a more peaceful universe." But she found that examining the present wasn't enough; she would change her focus to history, and after earning her BA at London University, she was offered a graduate fellowship from Columbia University in New York. She jumped at the opportunity to discover the "New World!" While completing her PhD, in 1961 Lindt began teaching at Columbia's School of General Studies. She thought it ironic that as a young, non- American, she was teaching older Americans about U.S. society. After her marriage, she and her husband moved to Washington, D.C., where she taught at both Howard and American Universities. In the early 1970s, in the middle of her career, Lindt decided to retool and relocate yet again, accepting a tenured faculty appointment in Columbia's Religion Department. "It was a whole new education, working alongside colleagues in Buddhism, Islam, and Confucianism," she says, "and I loved it." Five years later she had become dean of faculty for the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and then of the School of General Studies in the 1990s, the first woman to hold either of these positions. Losing her vision Lindt has macular degeneration, and six years ago, when she was 70, she suffered two massive hemorrhages in her right eye and then her left. She has some residual vision in one eye, and is still able to see light and shadow, but knows, she says, that she's living on "borrowed time." It's interesting, she notes, how her grandchildren have perceived her blindness. (Lindt has two children - a daughter and a son - and four grandchildren.) Her granddaughter Olivia, who was 5 at the time, got it right away. Lindt would read to her when she could see, but when she couldn't anymore, she made up stories while holding the book. "Granny, that's not what it says!" Olivia responded. Now, it's granddaughter's turn to read to grandmother. A year ago, Lindt recalls, she and Harry, her 4-year-old grandson, were sitting out on the patio of a vacation cottage, when Harry whispered excitedly in her ear, "There's an alligator at our feet!" He grabbed her forefinger and ran it all around an alligator made of seashells, embedded in the concrete floor, so she could "see" him too. Instinctively, she says, he understood that they needed to communicate differently. Getting a guide dog When Lindt lost her sight, she made the difficult decision to retire from Columbia, and underwent rehabilitation and orientation and mobility training. After two years of frustrating experiences maneuvering with a cane, she decided to get a guide dog. Her research finally led her to the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind. She liked the Foundation because she felt the staff excelled in their assessment of her specific needs. Lindt partnered with Bridgette, a Labrador/Poodle cross in 2005. "Bridgette is a perfect match for my lifestyle and personality," she says. The two fly frequently to France, where Lindt maintains a house in Provence. Bridgette leads the way out of the airport to the shuttle bus that will take them to the city of Aix, then to the regional bus that brings them to the village of Bonnieux, and, finally, to Lindt's garden gate. Her guide dog is bilingual, Lindt laughs, and knows her commands in English and French - she even has her own passport with vaccination history. Continuing her career When she went blind, Lindt feared that for someone like her, for whom reading and writing were central to her identity, she would be unable to accomplish anything meaningful again. "I was wrong," she now admits. "I had no idea just how much help I could get from today's assistive computer technology." Although she has published numerous academic books and papers throughout her career, Lindt is now embarking on a new project to reach a larger audience: a re-examination of the history of Jim Jones and his ill-fated People's Temple. Still a trailblazer At the end of November, Lindt and Bridgette spent two weeks on a remote, coral-reefed island in the Philippines - a new experience for both of them. "Like me, she's adventurous and curious. It's a great combination," Lindt smiles. Before getting her guide, she says, "I could not have imagined going on such a trip. Now I see no reason why we don't both go - it's life without her that's unimaginable." Photo: Gillian Lindt and her guide dog on a porch. Lindt is in a yellow blouse and white pants, gazing at her black Lab/Poodle cross. Photo courtesy of Gillian Lindt. &&&& Sidebar: The Aging American and Vision Loss It is estimated that 6.5 million Americans over the age of 65 have severe visual impairment. When the first wave of baby boomers turns 65 in 2011, it will start a 20-year period of growth in Americans 65 and older, and by 2030, 20 percent of the population will be over 65. Experts predict that not only will the country's aging population have doubled, but so will the rate of severe vision loss. The risk of low vision and blindness increases significantly with age, particularly in those over 65. The Guide Dog Foundation believes that it is lifestyle, not age, that dictates a person's need for a guide dog. As long as an applicant meets our criteria and a suitable match can be made, we do not have an upper age limit for students. Recently, a first-time guide dog user trained with her dog...right before her 80th birthday! Photo: An elderly woman training with her guide. Photo by Christopher Appoldt. &&&& Recent Graduates Since our last issue of The Guideway, the Guide Dog Foundation served people from 16 states and Canada and graduated 57 new guide and service dog teams. Of these, five veterans were partnered with guide dogs and nine with service dogs through America's VetDogs. Photo: Two guide dog handlers and their dogs - yellow Lab/Golden Retriever crosses - strolling down a village street with their trainer behind them; all have smiles on their faces. Photo by Christopher Appoldt. &&&& A Message from our CEO These are very productive days for us - we are being asked to provide more guide and service dogs for people with disabilities, and our team of staff, volunteers, and donors is responding to meet the challenges in new and creative ways. As you read this issue, I hope you share our pride in all that we are accomplishing. At the same time, there is no denying that these are troubling economic times. America has been hit hard financially this year, but as Jeff Bressler notes in his story on year-end giving, Americans are the most philanthropic people in the world - 89 percent of families support charities on an annual basis, more than three and a half times as many as in the next most generous country. The Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind and America's VetDogs are dependent on our donors to fund our programs and services. More than three-quarters of our revenue comes from individuals, with corporations, foundations, and service organizations such as the Lions providing the remainder. While we occasionally receive government grants for specific programs, we do not receive regular government funding. We have always prided ourselves on our prudent fiscal management. Less than 15 percent of our budget goes to management and fundraising, a practice that has consistently earned the Foundation high marks from charity-rating organizations. While it is too soon to determine how much the economic downturn will affect us, current events call for creative ways to approach fundraising. We're writing more grants than ever before, and we're exploring exciting new avenues to generate funds. We have high hopes that new relationships and partnerships will let us continue to grow and expand during these tough times. The need is greater than ever for the guide and service dogs, training, and aftercare support we provide. As age-related diseases take their toll on our aging populace, more and more people who have lost their sight want the freedom a guide dog brings. All people deserve the ability to go where they want, when they want, without restrictions; a guide dog from the Guide Dog Foundation lets them travel independently and be fully participating members of society. And each week, there are more and more veterans returning from war who would benefit from a service dog from America's VetDogs to help them overcome the injuries they've suffered in battle and regain their self-respect and dignity. At the Guide Dog Foundation, we treasure every donor - large or small - and every donor dollar is precious to us. We know that we will be able to count on you to support our mission to ensure that every individual who seeks an assistance dog - and the independence and mobility they provide - will be able to get one. Thank you for your continued support, and best wishes for a joyous holiday season and a happy and healthy 2009. Wells B. Jones, CAE, CFRE Chief Executive Officer &&&& Puppy Raising: Give a Gift to Someone You Haven't Met Imagine the most rewarding thing you've ever done. Imagine the most heart-wrenching. Then realize they're the same thing. "It" is raising a puppy for the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind. When you foster a puppy for the Guide Dog Foundation, you embark on what will be one of the most fulfilling experiences you've ever had - raising a puppy to become a guide or service dog that will make a difference in the life of someone with disabilities. Without our family of puppy raisers (also called "puppy walkers"), there would be no guide dogs for people who are blind or visually impaired, no service dogs for people with other disabilities. While 41 percent of our puppy walkers live on Long Island, the majority are based outside New York. There are puppy raiser groups in Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, New Hampshire, Iowa, Nebraska, and Indiana. Raising a Guide Dog Puppy When it is about 9 weeks old, a puppy goes to live with the puppy walker family who, over the next year, will provide the love and attention that will help the pup grow to be a confident dog. Puppy raisers teach basic obedience and social skills while exposing the puppy to many different situations, including group outings and puppy obedience class. Once the dog is between 14 and 16 months old, it returns to the Guide Dog Foundation's Smithtown, New York campus to begin its formal training. During this time, the dog will be evaluated to determine where it can best serve someone with disabilities: either as a guide dog for people who are blind or visually impaired, or as a service dog for individuals with disabilities other than blindness. Puppy walker Libby Bagwell, of North Carolina, says she got involved because "it's an honor to help someone who is brave enough to take a step toward independence." And, she adds, "I also do it because I love it." Jenine Stanley, of Ohio, has had five guide dogs from the Guide Dog Foundation, and each one started in a puppy raiser's home. "It's fun to meet people for whom that puppy was just a guide dog in concept, and then watch them discover what my guide dog - their puppy - can do with me," she says. Libby agrees. "I cried when I had to give up my first dog, but then I got to watch that puppy guide his handler around dangerous places without hesitation. It's like watching your kid graduate from college with a good job. You will miss them, but you know they have more important work ahead." The Guide Dog Foundation is always looking for special people to open their hearts and homes to help start a puppy on its career as a guide or service dog. Call the Foundation's Puppy Department at 866-282-8046 or e-mail puppies@guidedog.org to see if there's a puppy raiser group in your area. Make a difference and give a gift to someone you haven't met yet. There are puppies waiting to join your loving home for a chance to start their careers. Photo: A Golden Retriever puppy sits in a harness that is too big for it. Photo by Christopher Appoldt. &&&& America's VetDogs Holds First On-Campus Service Dog Class America's VetDogs, a subsidiary of the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, provides guide and service dogs to disabled veterans of all eras, including those returning home from the global war on terrorism. Most of the veterans who have trained with their service dogs have done so either near Walter Reed Army Medical Center - where they are undergoing rehabilitation therapy - or in a VA medical center closer to their homes. In October 2008, however, VetDogs held its first-ever service dog class on the Guide Dog Foundation campus in Smithtown, N.Y. Six veterans of the current conflicts - two still active military - trained with their dogs under the watchful eye of Jim Mathys, field representative. These veterans were wounded while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan and suffered injuries ranging from the loss of limbs to other severe injuries that have impacted their lives. While every service dog is matched to a veteran's specific needs, many are trained to provide balance or stability support (usually with a balance harness), and to fetch and retrieve dropped items for those veterans who have difficulty bending. Others are trained for seizure or fall alert, especially for veterans who have suffered traumatic brain injury. No matter what their roles, guide and service dogs offer companionship, motivation, and love. Joining the class was U.S. Army Major Elizabeth Painter from Walter Reed. Painter is in charge of physical therapy at the amputee unit, and she trained with Raleigh, who will be an important member of the physical rehabilitation therapy team. Through retrieval, bracing, and innovative "tug of war" exercises, Raleigh will work with soldiers as they adapt and work with their new prosthetic limbs. The program's mission, Painter says, is to help amputees achieve as high a level of physical, psychological, and emotional functioning as possible. "The dog addresses all three and is a different way to get to the same goals." She and Raleigh continued their training with Mathys at Walter Reed when they returned to Washington, D.C. Raleigh joins George, who was placed at Walter Reed in 2007 as an occupational therapy dog. These days, George makes the rounds with wounded soldiers, offering emotional support during their rehabilitation. After a week of intensive training, the new teams were graduated in a special ceremony in New York City, sponsored by HistoryTM (formerly The History Channel). America's VetDogs partnered with History as part of the channel's Take a Veteran to School Day initiative. Take a Veteran to School was launched in 2007 to link veterans of all ages with young people in schools and communities across America. In December 2007, America's VetDogs trained Boe and Budge, the first- ever therapy dogs to be sent in theater to work with military combat stress control teams. These teams help deployed soldiers deal with combat stress, homefront issues, and sleep disorders. Mike Sergeant, chief training officer, and his team are currently training additional military therapy dogs. Since its creation in 2003, America's VetDogs has become the premier provider of guide and service dogs to veterans with disabilities. Photo: Three veterans with their dogs on class. One veteran is standing on a prosthetic leg and taking notes; his black Lab sits next to him. The middle has also lost his leg and is sitting in his wheelchair, his Golden Retriever service dog beside him. The third is also standing. He stands on a prosthetic leg and is also missing his arm. His German Shepherd service dog sits next to him. The caption reads: The veterans listen intently to instruction before they work their dogs. Photo: Nine people pose in front of a VetDogs banner. The caption reads: The newest VetDogs recipients pose with Wells Jones, Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind and America's VetDogs (fourth from left) and Libby O'Connell, History (fourth from right) in Manhattan's Rainbow Room after their graduation ceremony. &&&& The Importance of Year-End Charitable Giving By Jeff Bressler Americans love to give to worthy charitable causes. Recent statistics show that an amazing 89 percent of all households support charities on an annual basis; in 2007, this amounted to $306 billion. This financial generosity is most evident during the holiday season, as many charities receive 50 percent of their contributions in the last quarter of a calendar year, with 40 percent of that figure in December alone. If you are contemplating making a holiday gift to the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind by donating cash, stock, or securities to gain the full 2008 tax advantage of the donation, here are some helpful tips to follow: In most cases a charitable gift is deemed completed when control over the asset has been transmitted from the donor to the charity. For gifts of cash and securities, this means different things, depending on how the gift is transferred. If you are sending a gift by mail, the donation is effective on the date mailed as indicated by the postmark. If the envelope is postmarked by December 31, the gift is credited to 2008 even if it is physically received by the charity in the first week of 2009. The postmark is the key to your deduction, not the date on the check or the date a security certificate is signed over. If you are concerned that a gift being sent through the mail will not be received on time to use as a deduction on your tax return, you can physically bring the donation to the Guide Dog Foundation if you are a local donor. The day the gift is received at the charity is the effective date of that donation. Many individuals donate securities and stocks at the end of the year, and most of these gifts are electronically transferred to the charity directly from the donor's broker. For electronic transfers, the gift becomes effective the date the funds are reflected on the charity's bank or brokerage account, not the date you instructed your bank or broker to make the transaction. Electronic transfers can be greatly affected by volume. As we get closer to December 31, it may take several days to move your gift from one account to another. Make sure you have given yourself sufficient time to make a gift of stock or securities. For specific information on the tax benefits of donating cash, stocks, or securities, contact your tax advisor or the Development Department of the Guide Dog Foundation (631-930-9050; www.GuideDog.org); we'll be happy to give you more information on year-end giving. To learn more about a wide array of planned giving opportunities, be sure to visit www.GuideDog.org/plannedgiving. Jeff Bressler is the chief marketing officer for the Guide Dog Foundation. He can be reached at 631-930-9051 or via e-mail at jeff@guidedog.org. &&&& America's VetDogs photos: Photo: A veteran and his service dog on stage. The caption reads: VetDogs recipient Sean Long and his service dog Mikey address Cardinal Health employees at the start of their annual sales meeting. Over the four-day meeting, about 3,000 Cardinal employees showed their support of America's VetDogs. This year, with a matching grant from the Cardinal Health Foundation, Cardinal employees raised $150,000 in support of VetDogs. Photo: Three people pose in front of the VetDogs banner at the Northport, Long Island VA medical center. The caption reads: Jeff Bressler, executive vice president of America's VetDogs, joined Ed Richards, VIST coordinator at the Northport VA medical center, and Guide Dog Foundation board member and Northport VA employee Heidi Vandewinckel for National White Cane Awareness Day. Vandewinckel shared her experiences on what it is like to be blind and use a guide dog. White Cane Day was started by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964 to sponsor public awareness of blind Americans. &&&& Dog Treats Photos: Photo: A Guide Dog Foundation trainer and a blindfolded student walk with a black Lab in harness. The caption reads: Trainer Denise Keckley leads a student from the Helen Keller Institute on a blindfold walk. Every summer, the Foundation hosts students from Helen Keller for a day's outing. They tour the campus and get the chance to see what it's like to work with a guide dog. * Photo: A dog is examined by a Guide Dog Foundation veterinarian and a kennel assistant. The caption reads: Dr. Kerrie Cavallo is one of the Foundation's staff veterinarians. In addition to her own practice, two days a week Dr. Cavallo is at the Foundation, caring for the dogs who live on campus. She also sees pups living in puppy walker homes, working dogs in the area, and breeder dogs. * 19th Annual Second Sight(r) Bike-A-Thon Freedom Ride Photo: A throng of bike riders dressed in brightly colored shirts and shorts get read to ride. The caption reads: Participants enjoy a bit of levity before they begin their ride. Riders had their choice of rides ranging from 10 to 65 miles. This year, in cooperation with the Smithtown Fire Department, there was even a 5-mile family fun ride. Photo: Participants check in at the registration tables before beginning their rides. The caption reads: The Suffolk County Bicycle Riders Association sponsors the Guide Dog Foundation's annual Second Sight(r) Bike-a-Thon. Close to 400 people showed up to ride in support of the Foundation and its programs. &&&& Little Kids, Big Hearts The Chandler kids already liked playing golf, thanks to dad Al, a varsity golf coach, so it was natural when they wanted to build their own miniature golf course. But Allison, 10, Jacob, 7, and Zachary, 6, also decided to go further: they would charge their friends to play and donate any "green fees" to the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind. For two days they cleaned out their grandparents' backyard to create their own set of links, with their playhouse doing duty as the pro shop. The course had six holes; each sibling designed two. Allison's contributions were two seasons - "Winter Wonderland" and a summer beach theme, "Sandy Paradise," while Jacob built the "Road to the Final Four" (basketball) and "New York City" (the Twin Towers). Zachary created a "hot wheels" skateboard hole and a safari hole - "Welcome to the Jungle!" Almost 100 kids showed up to play the special course at "Chandlers Green" and raise money for the Guide Dog Foundation. Photo: The three Chandler children clustered around a Golden Retriever puppy. The caption reads: Allison Chandler (on bench) and brothers Zachary (left) and Jacob (right). * At 6 years old, Jennifer Mittelman already has a philanthropy role model - her brother Patrick. Two years ago, on his sixth birthday, Patrick asked for no gifts, only contributions to the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind. For her own party, Jennifer decided she wanted to do the same thing. The 40 guests who showed up at her party got to swim, play games, and dance, but didn't have to bring gifts - instead, they made donations for the Guide Dog Foundation. The Mittelmans are no strangers to the Foundation: They're breeder caretakers for poodle Dash, one of the Foundation's breeder dogs. Every so often, they answer the call to bring Dash back to campus to help start the newest generation of guide dog puppies. Photo: Jennifer poses in front of the bronze statue of Russ the guide dog and holds a wicker basket. A Golden Retriever puppy in a yellow puppy jacket sits next to her. The caption reads: Jennifer Mittelman and new friend. &&&& Food for Thought If you feed your pet Iams or Eukanuba, please save the UPC labels and send them to us. In exchange for the labels, Iams sends us coupons to buy food. Your label contributions help us tremendously in defraying the cost of feeding our special dogs. Please mail all UPC labels to Grete Eide, Director of Canine Care, Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, 371 E. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown, NY 11787, and ensure that the words "Proof of Purchase" are visible on the label. Spread the word and thanks for all your support! &&&& The Guideway(r) is the official newsletter of the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc.(r) William Krol, editor. It is available in print, on audio, and on our Web site. We welcome letters, articles, or photographs, but reserve the right to refuse any material. The Foundation's postal address is 371 E. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown, NY 11787-2976. Phone: 631-930-9000 or 1-800-548-4337. Web site: www.GuideDog.org. ?? ?? ?? ?? The Guideway Vol. 62, No. 3