Accredited by:   FREEDOM FORUM

Matt Miller, 16, of Westmoreland NY, is an active member of Boy Scouts.  When the time came to earn his Eagle Scout Award, Matt knew that he wanted a special project.  He said that he wanted a project that was unique and exciting and would also benefit another person.  When Matt heard that Freedom Guide Dogs was in need of “puppy raisers”, he knew he had found the perfect project.  After applying, Matt was given a small yellow Labrador retriever puppy, which he named Kobe. Matt had Kobe for the next 15 months.  They enjoyed their time together playing soccer in the yard.  As Matt talked about that, he said that Kobe was really good at catching the ball in the mid-air!  “Kobe was fun to have around.”  He said. Besides playing with Kobe, Matt was also responsible for his care and socializing.  Kobe was going to eventually grow up and perform an important job.  Matt understood this, and put forth good work and care into raising Kobe.

Matt and Kobe

Eric working blindfold with Kobe

When Kobe turned 18 months old, it was time for Matt to say goodbye.  Kobe was now a full-grown yellow who was ready for his guide training.  Kobe returned to Freedom Guide Dogs and was placed with Eric Loori, Freedom’s founder and head guide dog trainer. Eric said that Kobe had a zest for life, which shined throughout his training.  He loved his new work.  Thanks to Matt’s attention and play, Kobe had become a very people oriented him dog.  He loved to greet new people. So, during his training, Kobe not only had to learn how to guide a human through traffic, sidewalks, and pedestrians, but also an important rule for all guide dogs to follow.  Kobe had to learn to ignore the people who walked past him on the street!  Although this was tough for him at first, Kobe did manage to learn to keep at his work.  He realized that those pats of praise he loved so much, would come in the end.  After 6 months of training with Eric, Kobe was finally ready for real guide work.

On October 2, 2006, Kobe was placed with Curtis Chaltain, 43, of Webster, NY.  Curtis works at his local Goodwill store as a cashier trainer.  Kobe assists Curtis, who is totally without vision, as he travels.  Although Kobe does not help Curt on the job, he does guide him to and from work.  One of the things that made Kobe a good match for Curt is his ability to handle traffic so well.  Walking to and from work, Curt must pass through a 5 lane crossing each day to get to and from work.  Kobe learned to safely navigate their way through this heavy traffic section.   “Kobe is very good with the traffic checks and making the many crossings we face everyday.”  Curt said.

After the first few months of working with Curt passed, Kobe was faced with a new challenge…snow and ice!  Curt said that as winter hit, Kobe had to learn how to handle maneuvering around snow banks and patches of ice.  He laughed as he remembered how Kobe’s first experience on the ice resulted in his 4 feet slipping out from beneath him and landing like Bambi on the frozen pond.  Fortunately, Kobe’s outgoing personality enables him to bounce back from such experiences and keep moving forward.  “He handles new things really well.  He’s tough and smart and you can always see him working things out” said Curt.  “The only thing he doesn’t like is getting his feet wet.”

Curt and Kobe

When Curt and Kobe are home, Kobe is a real couch potato!  Although he loves to sleep, he also loves to have fun!  Curt and Kobe go to the park with Ruth, Curt’s girlfriend, and her Jack Russell Terriers.  “He loves those little terriers” Curt said.  “I’d like to try taking him swimming sometime. I think he’d love that.”  Since Curt likes to be active, Kobe’s love for life has made him a perfect companion!  Having a guide dog has been such a blessing to Curt.  He not only has a trustworthy guide, but also a companion in his travels.  He walks with more confidence and independence than he felt he could with a cane.  Curt said the biggest difference in having a guide dog instead of a cane is that you know you’re following an intelligent creature with good training.  “I can rely on his training and know he’ll get me where I need to go.  Having a dog is more responsibility, but the confidence he gives me outweighs the extra work.  Everyone should have one.”

It is so exciting to see a successful match like Curt and Kobe.  The happiness they are able to receive from one another is incomparable.  Such match-ups are not possible without the sponsorships we receive for each of our guide dogs.  Kobe’s placement was sponsored by the Webster Lion’s Club in Rochester.

“This was such an exciting story by itself” said David Bardusch of the Webster Lion’s Club. “We were looking for a guide dog school to support, we knew that’s what we wanted to do.”  David said that he was standing in a Holland Farms Bakery when he spotted a little plastic dog sitting on the counter.  It was a coin collection bank for Freedom Guide Dogs.  He wrote down the information and later called the number.  He spoke with Eric Loori, who was thrilled to hear that David was calling from Webster.   “We’re placing a dog there in just a few weeks!” Eric told him. It was perfect timing.  Not only was the Lion’s club able to donate to a guide school like they had hoped for, but they funded a dog that was being placed within their own town!  “This was very exciting how it all worked out” said David.  The Webster Lion’s Club sponsored $5,000 for Kobe’s placement. “And we will continue to support Freedom in the future as well” he said.  “Freedom is a fantastic group and the people have all been great to work with.  This has been a great experience.”

Webster Lions Club presenting  Eric with a check.

Our New Puppy Nursery is almost completed.  We should be able to have the first litter born in the new facility this April!  We have planned for two new whelping pens, which will have both inside and outside areas.  The floors will be heated, as are the floors in the training facility, which will keep the puppies nice and warm as they grow.  As the weather up here in Central NY can be unpredictable, the outside pens will be covered and can be totally enclosed in bad weather or open during the better days.  The outside runs will also be able to open into one large play area where we will be educating the pups with games and play areas, with toys much like a physical therapy room would have.   Plan on coming to our Open Kennel, September 22, 2007, and see our growth over the past year.

Bonsai and her 2 day old pups  (Salli is one of the crowd)

The first of the roof going up!

Helping before the harness Kelly Bollinger, CPP and Marcia Kropp, BA have teamed together offering “Puppy Pals”, a group which meets with children needing assistance in building life skills.  The children learn to care for and train a service puppy in a classroom setting.  This helps teach the children trust, cooperation, self confidence, and self control.  Puppy Pals focuses on the “three P’s”.  These are patience, persistence and praise.  The goal of this group is to prevent substance abuse.  Children can be referred to Puppy Pals when they are in 4th grade. They are currently raising a puppy for us, named Salli.  We are proud that she is a part of such a great outreach.  Puppy Pals can be contacted at (607) 687-6349 ~ tccasa@stny.rr.com

Salli sitting pretty  for a Christmas photo

Each year the Lions Club of Sauquoit Valley invites us to share in their Journey for Sight fund raising walk-a-thon.  This year’s walk will be held on Saturday, May 12.  It is at the track behind the Clinton, NY schools.  With the walk being on the track we don’t have to worry about traffic, or taking time to rest.  There is plenty of parking, music to walk to, hot dogs to eat and just a fun time for all.  Puppies and guide dogs are more then welcome.  There is water for both humans and canines.  The Lions clubs in the area join in this event.  They, also, have great prizes to give away!!  I do not have the pledge sheets yet, but if you are interested in one please e-mail and I will send you one ASAP (please include your mailing address).  If you want to start getting donations please have the checks made out to Sauquoit Valley Lions.  They will count it all and give us back what we earned minus a small fee for running the walk.  If you would like to sponsor my puppy “Ice-T” and myself send the donation to me and we will walk the track.  Hope to see folks there!!

Sharon

Karen and Chris walking puppies at the Journey for Sight

Pay Pall Account Freedom now has a pay pal account on our web page.  You can donate with your credit card, with ease, using the easy directions on the page.  You do not have to have a pay pal account yourself to use this service.  We still do not take credit cards thru the office, but for your convenience have opened this account for those who would like to use the new account.

As Freedom continues to grow the needs for financing has increased.  Freedom is at the cross roads of adding additional training staff, to support the ever growing list of applicants.  With each passing year the number of guide dogs we are replacing due to retirement has increased.  The number of new applicants continues to increase also.  In order to expand an endowment fund, Freedom Forever is being created.  This will ensure a financial base for the necessities of Freedom Guide Dogs. If you wish to donate to the Freedom Forever Fund please indicate that on your donation.

We are still accepting Vehicle donations.  The laws have changed, but you still would receive a tax break for your donation.  If you have a vehicle please phone 1-877-227-7487, ext 1273.  Tell them you wish to Donate to Freedom Guide Dogs.