Michelle Denzer and her guide dog Sooner
Dog guides provide independence to individuals who are blind and DeafBlind. At the Lighthouse, we have 27 dog guides who come to work with their handlers each day. In 2014, The Tom Kuebler Dog Guide and Employee Support Fund was established to provide support and essential ongoing training for our employees who have dog guides as well as the Orientation and Mobility specialists that work with them.
Tom Kuebler is an esteemed emeriti of both the Lighthouse Board of Trustees and Foundation Board. Tom knows first-hand the positive impact that a dog guide has on a person’s life. He witnessed his son’s life drastically improve with the support of a dog guide and founded The Tom Kuebler Dog Guide and Employee Support Fund with an enthusiasm to change other people’s lives for the better through dog guide assistance.
“One of the joys of my life is the experience I have in my own family of seeing the miracle of guide dogs and their partners. Compassion and support bring together people who are blind, DeafBlind, and blind with other disabilities with the sight of their loving companions. Their partnership allows Lighthouse employees to build the confidence, trust, and courage to fulfill their maximum potential,” says Kuebler.
For the non-JAWS audio described version, click here.
A group of Lighthouse employees with their guide dogs
The Tom Kuebler Guide Dog and Employee Support Fund is made possible by financial support from the community. Donations provide dog guide assisted employees with services to enrich independence in their work and personal lives. Support includes employees receiving normal wages while attending official dog guide training, ongoing coaching to learn how to trust and communicate with dog guide companions, safe travel training, and maintenance of the kennels that house our four-legged friends during the work day.
Funding
The Tom Kuebler Dog Guide and Employee Support Fund is made possible through a combination of grants, contributions from local corporations, foundations, service organizations, and individual charitable giving.
Help support dog guide handlers and their furry companions by making a donation today on our online giving page or by check. You can also support the program through a planned gift.
For more information or to find out more about planned giving, contact:
Jonathan Dymond
Donor Relations Manager
Phone: (253) 307-7279
E-mail: jdymond@lhblind.org
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