The Seeing Eye®

A M A G A Z I N E F O R F R I E N D S O F T H E S E E I N G E Y E

INSIDE: Celebrating 85 Years!

Winter 2013-2014 | Volume 79, Number 3

GUIDE

In 1929 in Nashville, chicken was selling for 42 cents a pound,a half-gallon of milk could be had for 28 cents, and a cup ofcoffee cost a nickel. The city’s streets were teeming not only withModel A Fords but also with horse-drawn carts and electricstreetcars. Men wore suits and women wore dresses, and everyone wore hats. It was a very different time.

And there was one sight that was new at the time but is quite familiar now – blind men and women being guided by Seeing Eye® dogs.

It was 85 years ago that The Seeing Eye was founded in Nashville, Tennessee. Morris Frank,the first man to be teamed with a Seeing Eye dog, had to travel to Dorothy Harrison Eustis’sdog training facility in Switzerland to be matched with Buddy and to be trained in how towork with a guide dog. He promised Dorothy that he’d return to America and start a schoolhere, to give other people the same independence that he now enjoyed with Buddy. And on January 29, 1929, he kept that promise as The Seeing Eye, Inc., opened for business.A few days later, the first two students began their training with instructors Jack Humphrey,Adelaide Clifford, and Willi Ebeling. The 21-year-old Morris Frank was managing director.

Much has changed over the last 85 years. We’ve innovated in ways that our founders couldhave only imagined – advances in genetics and screening to all but eliminate hip dysplasia,megaesophagus, and progressive retinal atrophy in our breeding stock; the use of new methods such as clicker training to teach dogs to “nose” a door knob or pedestrian crossingbutton; and moved from a $15 a month rented office to a beautiful 60-acre campus in Morristown, New Jersey, with a newly renovated Main House and its own American Animal Hospital Association-accredited canine hospital.

But we’re still following the same advice that our instructors offered those first students: Praiseyour dog, trust your dog, and love your dog!

The Seeing Eye dog of today is a much different animal than what we used in 1929. Ourdogs in 1929 were wonderful dogs, renowned for their intelligence, loyalty, and gentle nature. Imagine what 85 years of selective breeding, careful screening, and innovative training have accomplished!

As a donor to The Seeing Eye, you have made all of this possible. Your generous support enables remarkable men and women to come from across the United States and Canada to bematched with these amazing dogs. They are lawyers and artists; professors and students; factory workers and stay-at-home parents. But they all want what Morris did – enhanced independence. Thanks to you, The Seeing Eye will be here to provide that enhanced independence for another 85 years and beyond.

Sincerely,James A. Kutsch, Jr., President & CEO, The Seeing Eye

A Seeing Eye Perspective

CONTENTS

1 Letters to The Seeing Eye

2 First ClassCelebrating 85 Years!

4 Thank You, Volunteers

6 Donor Profile Gordon and Thelma Hill

7 Puppy RaisersA Selfless Act of Love

8 News Highlights

ON THE COVER:

The first graduating class of The Seeing Eye, which began in Nashville, Tennessee, on February 2, 1929. From left: Instructor Jack Humphrey; student Dr. Raymond Harris with Tartar; instructor Adelaide Clifford;student Dr. Howard Buchanan withGala; and instructor Willi Ebeling.

The Seeing Eye®

A M A G A Z I N E F O R F R I E N D S O F T H E S E E I N G E Y E

GUIDEWinter 2013-2014 | Volume 79, Number 3

The Seeing Eye Heritage Society wasfounded in 1989 to recognize andhonor those individuals who have takenthe important step of including a legacygift to The Seeing Eye in their financialportfolios or estate plans. Members ofThe Heritage Society have recognizedthe importance of the continuation ofour work with people who are blindand visually impaired and have expressed a commitment to that end byplanning a gift which will help providefor the future success of the school.

Legacy gifts make up a large portion of the donations received by The Seeing Eye each year, for which weare most grateful. Gifts of this nature secure the future of our mission, providing ongoing services to our graduates and new students.

It is very possible that you are eligiblefor membership in The Heritage Society, but haven’t let us know. If youhave created a bequest in your will ortrust, or named The Seeing Eye as beneficiary of a charitable trust, a retirement plan, or a life insurance policy, you are eligible to become amember of The Heritage Society! Wewant very much to be able to say“thank you” and include you in TheHeritage Society events.

Please take a moment to inform us of your intention by calling 973-539-4425 x1735 or email donate@seeingeye.org.

Ms. Pauline AlexanderMrs. Cynthia AllenJen ArmbrusterTamara ArmstrongRana McMurray ArnoldMs. Murielle ArseneauMrs. Rhoda AttanasioBarbara A. Backer, RNJames & Irene BaranskiDr. & Mrs. James BarnesDr. Michael L. BarnettMildred H. BeamAndrea & Mitch BeckerMrs. Susanna A. BergerRita V. BergersonMs. Nancy Conant BerresfordNanette BoakMiss Candice BolteDoris BowenMr. Kenneth BowlesFred & Kathy BrackCarole J. BrandMr. Daniel P. BraunArt & Mary BraunschweigerLt. Gen. & Mrs. Robert A. BreitweiserNina R. BrilliMr. & Mrs. William* BrinkerBarbara Brooks Family TrustMr. & Mrs. William BrouillardCindy BrownCarol & Ray BsaranyDr. Mari BullMs. Joan E. BurgomasterLolly & Jay BurkeLloyd BurlingameMr. H. W. William CamingMr. & Mrs. Frederick B. CampbellMr. Richard CannonMs. Judi CannonDonna A. CaridesJulie H. Carroll, Esq.Ms. Judith CarsonMr. Santo CascioMs. Lauren CaseyMrs. Ann L. CavalliCatherine A.M. CavanaughMrs. Ann CavellierDavid & Marion ChappellMrs. Margaret P. ChappellMr. Thomas J. CherryDr. Lawrence X. CliffordMr. & Mrs. Robert W. CollinMr. & Mrs. Norman F. ComlyMr. and Mrs. Patrick G. ConstantinidesMr. Alan ConwayMiss Ann L. CorblyGeorge & Nancy Cottrell

Mrs. Joan CoughlinMs. Arline CowellMr. Charles CrawfordMrs. Lee CrossmanDeborah E. CurtisMr. John A. D'AmbraMr. Alan DaltonCraig DavisLois N. DeConcaMrs. Elizabeth Sandra DeGeorgeMs. Raye L. DelleLori & Dennis DeMarcoFrancis & Karen DeNaroMs. Denise DePalmaDoris N. DesherMs. Barbara DicksMargie DonovanDr. & Mrs. George Alexander DoumaniJanice G. DrakeMs. Michele DroletKenneth Duncan & Patricia Lewis*The Honorable and Mrs. Davis DutyMr. & Mrs. David J. EbelDouglas and Wyndham EberleDr. Sylvia EbertDr. & Mrs. James ElstonMs. Tina Emery*Marcus EngelLorraine EngenitoMrs. Susan EttersDonna J. EvansAlbert & Gloria* EvansMr. Paul H. FalonMrs. Lorraine R. FiliereMs. Eleanor A. FinninMr. & Mrs. James FitzgeraldPatricia E. FlemingMr. Gene F. ForsythBetty FosterMs. Jane L. FourakerMaria FranchinoMs. Estelle FreedmanMr. Robert E. FriedmanMs. Irene M. GaitleyMr. & Mrs. Matthew GallagherMrs. Frederica W. GambleTom GarnerMrs. Peggy GarrettMs. Helen GartmanHank & Gudy GautschyDrs. Philip and Marjorie GerdineShirley M. GiovannoliFlorence Susan GodekSusan & Keith GonzalezMr. Brian GourleyJoan GrandinettiPeggy Grow

elcome to The Seeing EyeHeritage SocietyW

Elsie D. HajdicsRobert & Dana HamweeDale & Peggy HarrisMarilyn & Gord HarrisMr. J. Philip HartTimothy & Lorraine HartleyMs. Joan D. HassanRobert & Jean HegedusJeffrey HennMr. & Mrs. David G. HenryF. Lois HenryTidi B. HerndonMr. & Mrs. Gordon C. HillJamie HiltonJim & Debbie HoffertMrs. Mary G. HollidayMrs. Elizabeth HontzClaire A. HopkinsDon HorneffMrs. Vivian HulseMs. Mary Jane IrwinGraham & Jean JeffreyMiss Barbara L. JenningsPriscilla H. JohnsonMiss Natalie Johnson In memory of Dolores JohnstonLynda JonesMichael & Sylvie Meyers-JouanMs. Jane JudsonMrs. Karen JuliusMr. Howard J. KahnArthur & Esther KaneDr. Sivia KayeMrs. Virginia S. KelcecKevin & Gina KeyteMrs. Junerose KillianFrederick I. KilpatrickJoseph Dean Klatt, PhDCameron & Martha KoblishRaymond & Lois KohanEarl & Anna KragnesNorma KrajczarCharles W. & Cissy R. KramerJohn G. & Ruth K.* KramerMarvin* & Gaytha KrausharUlrike Kreiner-Holzhauer & Viktor KreinerMr. Harry L. KruegerDr. James A. Kutsch, Jr. & Mrs. Ginger B. KutschMs. Elissa La BagnaraMrs. Mary Lacatena & Mr. Jerome LacatenaAnnette M. LangeJacqueline LanningMr. & Mrs. Robert LardineTheresa LassekElaine J. Lawrason

Kathleen & Leonard LedererMr. Ralph W. LedfordDr. Harold F. Leeper & Ms. Ann B. GourleyMidge Leitch, VMDKaye LeslieHilda W. LichtensteinDr. Rebecca LinebergerIrwin & Lois Ann LinkerRichard H. Livesey III & Mrs. Mae F. LiveseyThelma M. Locke*Judith & Victor V. LolliDaisy LundstenMr. & Mrs. Herbert LurieMr. Edward MacauleyTed MacdonaldMrs. Marjorie MachesneyJames & Eugenia MacKellarMary Jeanne MaclaurinMrs. Ann MannMary ManwaringDonna Jean Marrone in memory of Louis Jr. & Karen AnnMs. Phyllis J. MarstellerRobert & Debra MasteraMs. Flora MattisMs. Ruth A. McCartneyMrs. Gwynne G. McDevittMrs. Toula McEllenErin McNamaraMr. David McShaneMr. William MeineckeMr. Richard G. MercnerMrs. Judith MeyersBarbara MichieAsya MillerMrs. Muriel B. Miller*Mr. Edward W. MillerLois MillsHarriet E. MonaghanJeanne-Marie MooreRev. Bonnie L. MooreMrs. Barbara MooreHelen F. MorganPaul & Rosie MorlineMr. & Mrs. Joseph D. MoultonMs. Phyllis M. MurphyJeanne C. MyersDr. Grace NapierMrs. Jeanne NealeMiss Evelyn M. NemesDr. & Mrs. Edwin B. NettletonMr. Nelson NewcombDr. Aminda NicoloroMr. & Mrs. James M. NormanBarbara W. Nugent

Richard K. O’DeaMrs. Juanita B. OleyarLouise B. OlshanMrs. Elise R. OltonMr. & Mrs. L. OstarMrs. Margaret S. OsterhoudtElizabeth OstrowskiMargaret E. OttoMrs. Irene PalazzoMrs. Ethel H. PalmerLois ParisMr. & Mrs. Ben ParisiTheodore C. Paulson, Sr.Mr. Louis PepeMs. Zucel PerezMr. & Mrs. Jack PetersonGail J. PetreMiss Camille PetreccaDianne & Beverly PettyMrs. Lisa PfleiderMr. William J. PimblottMiss Gladys R. PincusCheryl L. PitzMartha & Howard PolinDena L. PolstonAndrea C. PopickMr. Charles A. PrescottMr. George T. PullmanMr. William D. QuickMs. Ellen QuimperClaire Durand RacamatoMr. & Mrs. Dale ReedMiss Monte F. RichardsonBuddy & Nancy RichmanMr. and Mrs. Robert R. RobertsMs. Rachel RobinsonClaire Barlow RoffinoRichard & Lisa RoisemanJune Catherine RomanoDiane RomanoBarbara Ina Rosen in memory of Rose & Max RosenElyse G. RosenfieldMr. Kenneth RosenthalMs. Grace RosenthalJan RumbaughDavid A. SaloMr. Anthony SalvatiSylvia SammonsDave & Janet SandersDoris R. SatterwhiteSusan SchechterPatricia & Richard SchnadigKatherine Schneider, Ph.D.Mr. & Mrs. Leon E. SchraderMs. Betsy SchuhartMr. & Mrs. Robert Scott

Mr. & Mrs. W. Sydnor* SettleHelen E. SheehanKatherine SheltonIrene SidunMr. & Mrs. Robert SilverJudith L. SissickCornelia J. SmithMr. Gerald SmithSusan V. SmithAnn C. SmithJames C. Solly in memory of Eleanora M. SollyMrs. Lillian S. StamlerMs. Valorie StanardMark & Barbara SteinbergJo Anne StevensEva Marie StevensCarol Stevens HewsonDorothy J. StichelMrs. Marilyn StiglitzMrs. Gloria StreiMr. Bruce StrnadMrs. Miriam StrongHelen Jo TaliaferroLeon A. Tierney, Jr.Mr. Peter M. TilkinJane TolenoKathy TowsonMiriam TravisMs. Eileen L. TrottaMr. John TurnerCarol A. UngroMs. Peg Van PattonShirley M. VavraMark VellenDr. Brian WallachMrs. Doreen WallerMr. & Mrs. Frank E. Walsh, Jr.Sally A. WebbMs. Jane WeidlundMrs. Dorothy WeidowkeMiss Suzanne WhalenMr. and Mrs. Eric WhalenMrs. Marie WhitlatchMs. Theresa WierszyloMr. Alan L. Wilkinson *Dwight Wilson, Jr.Ms. Bernadette Winkler*Mrs. Sharon F. WolfMs. Karen A. WoodPatricia J. Woolard-WolffMary E. WurstMiss Ann S. YagolnitzerJoyce B. YoungRichard & Simone Zoladz26 members of the Heritage Society who wish to remain anonymous

Across these pages you will see the names of those individuals whohave informed us of their extraordinary commitment to enhancing theindependence, dignity, and self-confidence of people who are blindthrough the use of Seeing Eye® dogs by providing for The Seeing Eyein their estate plans. Thank you!

*in memoriam

Dear Seeing Eye:

In 1932, I wished to make a donation to The Seeing Eye.

My dad drove me (10 years old) with my carefully saved giftto Morristown from Montclair. Here I met Morris Frank andBuddy. We visited the living quarters, toured the kennels,and I offered my small donation consisting of many silverdollars and crumpled bills. A silver dollar fell to the floor, butMr. Frank stopped me. “Buddy will get it,” he said, andsoon the awkward slippery silver dollar was in Mr. Frank’shand. I was so delighted and thrilled.

Many anonymous gifts have been made over the followingyears as I have marveled at your amazing skill assistingpeople who are blind. My support will always be there,perhaps smaller as I age but always heartfelt.

My husband, Richard Oakley, died September 11, 2013, at the age of 91, so I am sending this donation in his name.Thank you for all that you do.

Shirley M. Oakley

Dear Seeing Eye:

The biggest lesson I’ve learned from my experiences as aSeeing Eye puppy raiser is that one gesture could helpsomeone unknown to me who is in need. For about 16months, I teach basic commands that will help the puppysucceed at The Seeing Eye, where she will experienceformal training. The lesson that I have learned from workingwith Seeing Eye puppies applies to any charitable work.Any gesture, big or small, could help someone if you justtake the time to do it.

Among the most special moments of my puppy raiserexperience was receiving Wisty’s letter of acceptance fromThe Seeing Eye. I keep a picture of her, full of confidence inher harness, on my desk to remind me that dedication andhard work do pay off. While it is a pleasure to have a furryfriend roaming the house all hours of the day, the truefulfillment comes from the end result: making the life ofanother person better.

If I combine the traits of the puppies I raised – the loyalty ofPepper, the calm of Wisty, the maturity of Irene, the warmthof Ulla, the spirit of Rose, and the persistence of Xana – Imight find just the right kind of success in college, and inlife, with a passion for learning, contributing, and growingevery day. Thank you, The Seeing Eye, for giving me theselife-long gifts.

Julia Chirls

Dear Seeing Eye:

For her seventh birthday this year, my daughter Kathrynwanted to get the American Girl’s service dog, namedChocolate Chip. We talked to her about service dogs andhow they help people with disabilities, including severalfriends of ours in the Columbus and Toledo areas.

We also talked about Candie. My wife Enjie Wu, now Hall,had a Seeing Eye dog named Candie. She was an integralpart of our family, even playing the dual role of flower girland ring bearer at our wedding. She retired to Grandma’shouse where our children played with her and Candiebasked on the couch in her last years.

Inspired by Candie and Chocolate Chip, Kathryn asked herfriends to donate to The Seeing Eye instead of bringingpresents to her party. The money enclosed is in honor ofKathryn’s birthday, and also in memory of Candie, to go tothe Pennies for Puppies® program.

Russell B. Hall

lettersTO THE SEEING EYE

THE SEEING EYE GUIDE 1

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cover story

fMorris Frank was the first man to be teamed with aSeeing Eye dog, but he wasn’t the first graduate ofThe Seeing Eye. That’s because Frank and Buddywere partnered in Switzerland in 1927 – and TheSeeing Eye was still just a dream shared by Frankand Dorothy Harrison Eustis.

Two years later, on January 29, 1929, The SeeingEye became a reality as it was issued a certificate ofincorporation. Frank, now the managing director ofThe Seeing Eye, Inc., reported to Eustis that he hadrented an office in the Fourth and First NationalBank Building in Nashville, Tennessee, for $15 amonth. Frank also bought two desks, four chairs,and a coat tree for another $15. The Seeing Eyewas now in business. This would be the home of TheSeeing Eye for its first two years, before moving toNew Jersey in 1931.

And four days later, on February 2, the first twostudents would arrive to meet their dogs – bothGerman shepherds. (We began training other breedswithin a few years.)

Dr. Howard Buchanan of Monmouth, Illinois, hadbeen scheduled to follow in Frank’s footsteps, literally,by being trained at Fortunate Fields, Eustis’s dogtraining facility in Switzerland. But an illness forcedhim to cancel that trip. Now he was in Nashville totrain with instructors Jack Humphrey, AdelaideClifford, and Willi Ebeling. He would be matchedwith Gala, the dog that had been trained for him inSwitzerland.

“The first day I was home, I went out with Gala aloneand we went to nine different places,” Buchanansaid. “This is the first time since my blindness that Ihave been able to go when and where I pleasedwithout asking some member of my family or a friendto go with me.”

2 THE SEEING EYE GUIDE

It all began with a Gala. (And a Tartar.)

irst class

Top right: A Seeing Eye

instructor trains a dogin Nashville, Tennessee,

in February 1929.

Bottom right: Dr. Howard Buchanan

is guided by Galaaround children

playing on a sidewalk.

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THE SEEING EYE GUIDE 32 THE SEEING EYE GUIDE

Dr. Raymond V. Harris of Savannah, Georgia, wasmatched with Tartar, another Fortunate Fields dog that Eustis described in a letter to Frank as a verybeautiful dog.

A month later, the second class – already up to sixpeople – would begin training in Nashville. Amongtheir number was Blanche Eddy of Berkeley,California, the first woman to be matched with aSeeing Eye dog. Her German shepherd, Beta, wasthe first dog trained by Ebeling, a Germanbusinessman living in New Jersey who had retired atthe age of 46 and enjoyed breeding and showingGerman shepherds. He would serve as theorganization’s executive vice president until 1953,and after his retirement, remained on the Board ofTrustees until his death in 1961.

These members of the second class were encouragedwith a telegram from Harris, reading:

Frank and Buddy, followed by Buchanan and Galaand Harris and Tartar, were the first Seeing Eyeteams; over the next 85 years, The Seeing Eyecreated more than 16,000 teams, and today thereare graduates living in all 50 states and acrossCanada. But it all began on the streets of Nashville,with a Gala…and a Tartar.

85thAnniversary

GalaAnd as we started with a Gala, it only seemsappropriate that we

celebrate our 85th birthday with one! On Friday, May 16,

The Seeing Eye will holdan 85th Anniversary Gala

on our campus inMorristown, New Jersey.

Tickets are $350 and attire is

“business/cocktail.”

For more information,please contact

Tracy Crimmins attcrimmins@seeingeye.org

or call 973-539-4425 ext. 1751.

Top left:Dr. Raymond Harrisand Tartar wait for apassing streetcar asthey cross Bay Street inSavannah, Georgia.

Bottom left:Instructor AdelaideClifford trains a dog inNashville, Tennessee.

You are about to start the most enjoyable journey of yourdarkness. My experience assures you that you may place implicitconfidence in your instructors and confidence and faith in yourdogs. Life’s pathway is strewn with many pitfalls and dangers,but your dog will successfully negotiate for you all of these andprotect you at all times. Let your watchwords be courage andperseverance. Thank God, the Great Master, for The Seeing Eye,and your instructors.

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4 THE SEEING EYE GUIDE THE SEEING EYE GUIDE 5

The Seeing Eye has about 150 on-campus volunteers –roughly as many volunteers as full-time staff! Thesevolunteers do a number of tasks on and off campus, fromhelping to care for the dogs to providing clerical support tooffice staff; from helping with our online auction todelivering puppies!

On September 26, The Seeing Eye thanked its volunteerswith a reception held on campus. All volunteers wereinvited to attend, and gifts were presented to those whohave been volunteering for 1, 5, 10, 15, and in the caseof Jack Strangfeld, 20 years of service.

“We could not do all that we do at The Seeing Eyewithout our volunteers,” Seeing Eye President & CEO Jim Kutsch said.

The Seeing Eye also recognized the 2013 Volunteer of theYear: Lynn Geczi. The resident of Clark, New Jersey, is avolunteer in the Puppy Development Department. She alsois the mother of Seeing Eye instructor Kim Geczi. She’sbeen volunteering since 2006.

“We belong to the Essex County Puppy Club, and one ofthe leaders, Janet Keeler, had been volunteering for TheSeeing Eye for years,” Lynn explained. “And in talking toher about it, I thought… ’I love The Seeing Eye… whydon’t I do that?’ So I did! And I truly love volunteering. Ireally enjoy being there.”

“We call her the ghost, because I just leave something forher to do before I leave, and when I come in the nextmorning it’s magically done,” said Kathy Daly, the LindaFeinne-Roth Manager of PuppyDevelopment. “She’s in here atthe crack of dawn, runningcopies, checking inventory,putting together puppy raiserkits – whatever needs to getdone, she’ll do it.”

The puppy raiser kits areprovided to both returning andnew puppy raiser families,Daly explained.

“We have 500 puppies goingout every year. That’s a lot ofkits!” Daly said. “Before wehad Lynn, the coordinatorshad to do it themselves, and itwas just so time consuming.Lynn’s help means they can spend more time out in thefield with the puppy raiser families, which is where weneed them to be.”

The Geczi family also has raised 21 puppies, beginning in1996, and they are currently raising a seven-month-oldGerman shepherd named Ernie.

is the2013 VOLUNTEER of the YEAR

LYNN GECZI

WE COULD NOTDO ALL THAT WE DO AT THESEEING EYEWITHOUT OURVOLUNTEERS.— Jim Kutsch,

Seeing Eye President & CEO

“

”

thank you, volunteers!

Photo by

John

Kea

ne

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4 THE SEEING EYE GUIDE

One Year of ServiceMary Lou BurdeJanet CloningerAlison CoganLinda ColliganJoseph ContiJudy DeuschleKatherine DiRiccoCarol DrummondDan FaganMelinda GilliganBarbara HightowerHeather HolcombBecky IrvingKathy JonesPam KallasKaren Kane

George KennedyRob KnellerStewart LinderAgi LouriaMichael LyonsDon MacGowanDeborah MaullWhitney MaullLisa PerlmanJeannie PhilipsDoug RobertsJanet RozanskiRichard RozanskiJanet RyansLinda SchieleClora SealsLoreli Stochaj

E.J. SullivanKristin TavaresMargaret Turrisi-ToupetJohn TucciaroneNancy TuckerBethany TullochSheila Wolfensohn

Five Years of ServiceSally FranzelMyrna LaracuentePenny NewellJohanna OstarRobert ParkerHelene RothGeorge SchabergPeggy Schaberg

Bernie SchoenfeldClare SieversTracy SilverschotzBob Swanson

Ten Years of ServiceJohn KenneyToula McEllenJoyce Novak

Fifteen Years of ServiceJanet Dedrick

Twenty Years of ServiceJack Strangfeld

Volunteer of the YearLynn Geczi

Seeing Eye Board of Trustees Chairman Dr. Lewis M. Chakrin andSeeing Eye President Dr. James A. Kutsch Jr. present Jack Strangfelda gift in recognition of his 20 years as a volunteer at The Seeing Eye.

THE SEEING EYE GUIDE 5

is the2013 VOLUNTEER of the YEAR

”

VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARDS

The Beacon Hill Musicians -- Marty Eigen onsaxophone and flute, Flip Peters on guitar, andRon Naspo on bass -- donated their talents at thevolunteer reception.

Photo by John KeanePhoto by John Keane

Photo by

John

Kea

ne

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THE SEEING EYE GUIDE 7

donor profile

A History of SupportThe Seeing Eye Thanks Its

Long-Term DonorsWhat are you still doing today that you weredoing in 2003?

More than 1,600 people have been doing onething all those years – supporting The Seeing Eye!We looked at our donor database and wereelated to discover just how many donors havebeen giving to us each and every year. And morethan 100 have been giving every year for 20years or more!

Gordon and Thelma Hill of Wrightwood,California, have been giving to The Seeing Eyesince 1988 – every year for 25 consecutive years.

Thelma explained that she knows from personalexperience just how valuable a Seeing Eye dogcan be to a person who is blind or visuallyimpaired – her sister, Anne Laurel, is now teamedwith her third Seeing Eye dog, a blackLab/golden retriever cross named Anya.

“I know how much freedom my sister has with herSeeing Eye dog, and how important it is to herlife,” Thelma said. “We could never repay TheSeeing Eye for what you’ve done for her.”

Thelma said she and her husband also adopted adog from The Seeing Eye, a German shepherdnamed Dottie. “We had her for seven years, andshe was the most wonderful dog,” Thelmarecalled. “She couldn’t work because she wasanimal distracted. Well, we live up here in the SanGabriel Mountains where there aren’t any cars toworry about, so she could spend all day runningup and down the hillsides chasing squirrels andhaving a wonderful time.”

The Hills also are members of the HeritageSociety, meaning they have provided for TheSeeing Eye in their estate plans.

“We love The Seeing Eye. It is a terrificorganization,” Thelma said. “Dogs are wonderfulcreatures, and they really do help people.”

Dorothy’s Legacy

The first donor to The Seeing Eye, of course, wasDorothy Harrison Eustis.

Dorothy was a wealthy woman, having inherited money from her father, Charles Custis Harrison, a sugar refineryowner, noted philanthropist, and provost of the University of Pennsylvania; and her first husband, Walter Wood Jr., a businessman and local politician who died of an illnessafter they’d been married just nine years.

She not only poured much of her own money into TheSeeing Eye – buying the school’s first home in Whippany for$30,000 in 1931, more than $450,000 in today’s dollars –but also tirelessly raised funds on the organization’s behalf.In just 10 short years, The Seeing Eye’s endowment grewfrom $43,000 in 1933 to more than $1 million in 1943.Even then, The Seeing Eye knew that a healthy endowmentwas the key to the school’s future – it ensures that the schoolwill be here when students return for subsequent Seeing Eyedogs, able to weather economic downturns.

The Seeing Eye is now in the midst of a five-year, $10million capital campaign to raise funds for the endowment.We are more than halfway to our goal! If you would like todonate, contact Susan Ullmann in the Donor and PublicRelations Department at (973) 539-4425.

6 THE SEEING EYE GUIDE

Dorothy Harrison Eustis with a young German shepherd.

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Sue Maya grew up raising puppies forThe Seeing Eye. And now, more than 30years later, she’s given that experience toher own children.

“You put your heart and soul into lovingthese dogs, and there are some tearswhen you give them up,” Sue said. “Buthonestly, I work in Morristown, so I get tosee a lot of these puppies when they getmatched with new students. I get morechoked up seeing that – seeing what theyare going to do for someone who needsthem – than I do when I give them up. Isaw a young lady, probably with her firstSeeing Eye dog, walking down the streetwith such grace and confidence that Ihad to pull over because I was bawlingso hard. As a mother, seeing that girl andhow beautifully she was working withthat dog, my hope is that every puppy Iraise will be able to do that for someone.”

Sue raised three Seeing Eye puppies as achild for The Seeing Eye; now, along withher husband Willie and their twochildren, she’s raised three more.

Sue said raising puppies teaches herchildren about responsibility, hard work,sacrifice, and love. “It truly is a selfless

act of love – a love for someone you areprobably never going to meet,” she said.“And it also teaches children thatsometimes you have to give up somethingthat you love, but you can survive that.”

Her 15-year-old son, Wilson, has raisedtwo puppies, both yellow Labradorretrievers – one named Dan, the otherBoss. Both successfully completed trainingand are now working with Seeing Eyegraduates!

“It’s hard work, but it’s definitely worthit,” Wilson said. “It’s an incredible feelingto know that this dog you raised is goingto do something good for someone else.”

Allyson, 12, is raising her first SeeingEye dog, a 9-month-old golden retrievernamed Bay. Sometime in the next three tosix months, Bay will return to The SeeingEye for an evaluation, and if he passes,begin training to become a Seeing Eyedog.

“It’s going to be hard to give him up,”Allyson said. “I know I’ll be upset, but Ialso know it is for a good cause.”

THE SEEING EYE GUIDE 76 THE SEEING EYE GUIDE

A Selfless Act of LoveFor Sue Maya, raising puppies is a family tradition

Allyson and Wilson Maya with Seeing Eyepuppy Bay, a golden retriever, in a phototaken last fall.

IT ALL BEGINS WITH PUPPIES

Our volunteer puppy raisers play acritical role in The Seeing Eye’smission to provide the world’s bestguide dogs. They not only teach thepuppies basic obedience and goodhouse manners, but also socialize thepuppies so they are familiar withdifferent people, places, and animals.But most of all, our raisers teach ourpuppies to respond to love and praise– which are the rewards they get intraining as well as later when they’repaired with a Seeing Eye graduate.

For more information about becominga Seeing Eye puppy raiser, please goto http://www.seeingeye.org/raise.

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8 THE SEEING EYE GUIDE

news highlights

“I’m proud to help lead The Seeing Eyein its mission to enhance the dignityand independence of people who areblind and visually impaired through theuse of our amazing Seeing Eye®dogs,” Crnkovich said.

The resident of Madison, N.J., servedas chairman of Morgan Stanley’sGlobal Healthcare Industry InvestmentBanking Practice and has a B.S. fromGeorgetown University and an M.B.A.from the Stanford Graduate School ofBusiness.

Crnkovich succeeds past Chairman Dr.Lewis M. Chakrin of Mendham, N.J.,dean of the Anisfield School of Business

at Ramapo College of New Jersey, whohad served the maximum permittedterm as Chairman but will remain onthe Board of Trustees. Dr. Margaret E.L. (Peggi) Howard of WhitehouseStation, N.J., Vice President ofAdministration and University Relationsat Drew University, was elected ViceChair. These new officers join threeofficers who were re-elected: ViceChair Thomas Duffy of Franklin Lakes,N.J.; Secretary Julie Carroll of FallsChurch, Va.; and Treasurer RobertHamwee of New Vernon, N.J.

In addition, two people were recentlyelected to the Board of Trustees: AriBenacerraf of New York, N.Y., senior

managing director of AmuletCapital/Diamond Castle Holdings, andSteve Pangere of Crown Point, Ind.,President and CEO of The PangereCorporation of Gary, Ind. Pangere is agraduate of The Seeing Eye, havingbeen matched with his first Seeing Eyedog, a black Labrador/golden retrievercross named Hope, in 2010.

Crnkovich Elected Chairman of Seeing Eye BoardPeter N. Crnkovich, Senior Adviser of Morgan Stanley, has been electedChairman of The Seeing Eye’s Board of Trustees. Crnkovich, who was firstelected a trustee of the Morristown school in 2003, had been serving asVice Chairman since 2009.

DUSTY’S LAW PASSES IN NEW JERSEY

In July 2010, a Seeing Eye puppy was mauled by anunrestrained dog in New Jersey. The puppy, a Germanshepherd named Dusty, survived the attack but was unable to enter the training program due to the attack.

For the past four years, The Seeing Eye has been workingtoward Dusty’s Law, which would make killing, injuring, orinterfering with a service animal or service animal intraining (including puppies being raised to be guide dogs) a criminal offense in New Jersey. Not only would this mean

stricter penalties if people (or their dogs) attack guide dogs, but by making it acrime, police would respond to such incidents. In the past, such incidents wouldusually be referred to animal control officers, who typically aren’t available duringoff hours, and often didn’t have the resources to investigate the attack or renderassistance to a guide dog user whose dog may be unable to work. The effort to getthe law passed was led by Dusty’s puppy raiser, Roger Woodhour, and Seeing Eyevolunteer Ginger Kutsch.

Dusty’s Law was passed by the Assembly and Senate and signed in January by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Prepare To Bid!We will once again be holding ouronline auction this spring, beginningApril 23 and ending May 2. We arecurrently accepting item donations,such as new (or unique) items, giftbaskets, sports tickets, or giftcertificates. We also are looking forcompanies that would like to sponsorthe auction.

If you have an item to donate, or if your company would be interested in sponsoring the auction,please contact Sara Meehan atsmeehan@seeingeye.org, call (973) 539-4425 ext 1736, or visitwww.seeingeye.org/auction.

SOLD!

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Thanks for leading the way.Bausch + Lomb shares The Seeing Eye’s commitment

to helping the visually impaired.

© 2012 Bausch & Lomb Incorporated. Bausch + Lomb is a trademark of Bausch & Lomb Incorporated. All other product/brand names are trademarks of

their respective owners. PNS06051

See Better. Live Better

TheSeeingEye

Washington Valley Road • P.O. Box 375Morristown, NJ 07963-0375

The Seeing Eye produces the Guide® magazine in audio and electronic versions, in addition to this print version.Copies are available by request. This issue and past issues also are available on our website.

Permission to reprint may be obtained by contacting The Seeing Eye.

Seeing Eye® is a registered trademark for guide dogs of The Seeing Eye, Inc., and is its registered service mark for training dogs as guides and instructing visually impaired individuals in their use and care. The Seeing Eye admits and offers students of any race, color, religion, nationality, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation or ancestry all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, nationality, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation or ancestry in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other school-administered programs.

The Seeing Eye follows the guidelines recommended by the Council of U.S. Dog Guide Schools for the humane care and training of dogs to be guides, and the instruction andgraduate services offered to people who are blind or visually impaired.

The Seeing Eye is an accredited member of the International Guide Dog Federation.

The mission of The Seeing Eye is to enhance the independence, dignity and self-confidence of people who are blind, through the use of specially trained Seeing Eye dogs.

© 2014 THE SEEING EYE.

The Seeing Eye

President & CEO James A. Kutsch, Jr.Editor Craig Garretson

Communications Manager

Visit our Website www.SeeingEye.orgEmail info@SeeingEye.orgPhone 973-539-4425Fax 973-539-0922In Canada c/o The Seeing Eye Organization T8059, P.O. Box 8059, STN A Toronto, ON M5W 3W5

Registered Canadian Charity Number 89100 8690 RR 0001ISSN 0037-0819Publication number 488580

The Seeing Eye, then and now!

On the left, G. William Debetaz,who joined The Seeing Eye in1929 as an instructor and retired 43 years later as vicepresident of training, teaches ablack Labrador retriever to lookfor overheard obstacles; on theright, Seeing Eye instructorKristin Lake demonstrates thesame technique to a Germanshepherd, 85 years later!

Photo Credits: Historical image−The Seeing Eye archives. Contemporary image−David Shapiro.

TheSeeingEye