Guiding Eyes for the Blind celebrated its December 2018 graduating class of guide dog teams.
Annette and Ginny, of Chattanooga, were among the graduates. Annette is the owner of a vending machine company in Chattanooga, and is an avid runner.
She recently completed her first half-marathon and a sprint triathlon. She loves to be outdoors, whether it is hiking, kayaking or running. Annette has a 12-year-old son, and they are both looking forward to having a guide dog join in on their adventures.
Each graduate received customized training and was paired with an exceptionally trained guide dog, provided to them at no cost by the non-profit organization.
Once home, each team will enter an important stage in their work together, as they deepen their relationships, establish daily routines, and learn new routes and destinations. The relationship between each guide dog and handler is unique, and Guiding Eyes provides helpful guidelines for members of the community to welcome them home and allow them to work safely. This includes, importantly, not distracting and never feeding or petting a working guide dog.