My Nonprofit Reviews

As a 10 year Board member of Southeastern Guide Dogs (SEGD), I have witnessed the miracle and life changing event each time our guide dog school provides a FREE guide dog and training. Our blind clients arrive at our school for a 26 day training class with their new guide dog that is given to them after they arrive. They are afraid, alone, and dependent. They leave with a new sense of purpose - with a newly felt independence, freedeom & dignity and happiness - if that is now fullfilling for those who serve as volunteers, then NOTHING will. My heart soars like an eagle each time I see our graduation class tell their story - how they lost their eye-sight & how their new guide dog will change their life. I wish more people could witness this miracle - I have no doubt that God smiles when he looks down on our beloved school and also know that when he looks down at graduation, it brings a tear to His eye! Our Paws for Patriots program also elicts the same feelings. The best example is retired US Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell - the Lone Survivor of a 2005 mission in NE Afghanistan. His 4 man crew was surprised by 150 Talaiban and 3 died after bravely holding off the enemy for hours. A Special Operations Chinook helicopter was sent after them & shot down by a Taliban RPG - 18 Navy Seals and Special Operators were killed - the worst loss of life for US Special Operations ever. Marcus Luttrell, severely wounded with an AK-47 bullet in his leg and a broken back, crawled 7 miles on his hands and knees to a Pastun village who protected him. He wrote a book called Lone Survivor and became the #1 seller on the NY TImes Best Seller List. A movie is being filmed in the Spring of 2011. I received a call from the US Special Operations Care Coalition asking us if we could supply a SEGD Therapy Dog for Marcus as he was having trouble sleeping, had aniexty, & other PTSD issues. After doing our due diligence, we supplied him with Rigby, a yellow lab from our school - it has changed his life and he has now dedicated his life to his new Lone Survivor Foundation which will provide a peaceful multi-acre getaway where would soldiers and their families can rest, fish, horse-back ride, etc ......recover from their wounds - both phyical and mental. Yes, Southeastern Guide Dog is making a huge difference in the lives of thousands!

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