An elegant evening for guide dogs
NORTHGATE – The South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind held their annual gala dinner was held at the Blue Wing of the Ticketpro Dome on 12 October.
Highly important pups brought their elegantly dressed owners to a glitzy gala dinner to honour members and raise funds for the South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind.
The annual gala dinner was held at the Blue Wing of the Ticketpro Dome on 12 October. It ran simultaneously with a gala dinner evening in Cape Town and was available to stream live anywhere in the world.
Guests were treated to delicious three-course dinner and welcome drinks and were wowed at the skills of wheelchair dancers as well as a show by the guide and service dog trainers.
The association’s head of marketing Nadia Sands said, “It’s a fun a fabulous evening for our guests to enjoy, and a lot of the people that have been invited here are our partners and big sponsors.
“We raise a hundred per cent of our profits from auctions, pledges and sponsorships. Fundraising events like these are the main way that we can train more dogs.
The event was opened by the emcee for the evening local actress Lizz Meiring.
A plethora of fancy goods, services and holidays were up for grabs in an auction, all generously donated by benefactors who support the organisation, as well as the sponsorships of individual pups.
The executive director of the organisation Vernon Tutton said, “This annual event is a celebration of everything that has been achieved of the past year. There is a tremendous amount of work that is being done at our association, and tonight helps to honour those that invest their time with us.
“Our association is so much more than just guide dogs. We have a whole division that focuses on orientation and mobility for disabled persons, with the bulk of our activities taking place in disadvantaged areas. The more funds we can raise, the more people we will be able to support, to help them to endure a better life.
Their main goal is to assist physically and visually impaired people, and children with autism.
Over 100 guide and service dogs are born and trained each year, and thousands of dogs have passed through the ranks after the association was established in 1953.
Sands added, “Besides events like these, we welcome donations and visits from the public. We have regular Graduation Days where we can accommodate visitors.”
Details: South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind – 011 705 3512 or email info@guidedog.org.za
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https://www.citizen.co.za/randburg-sun/374141/dogs-mans-proven-best-friend-thousands-years/
