Stall raises funds for guide dogs

The Central Coast Guide Dogs NSW-ACT Volunteer Support Group will be holding a fundraising stall on March 3 at Woy Woy.

The group runs around 30 fundraising stalls a year at shopping centres across the Central Coast to raise funds for Guide Dogs NSW-ACT.

The money is used to provide free services to enable people who are blind or vision impaired get around independently, so they can live the life they choose.

The stall will be held Friday 3 March, at Deepwater Plaza Shopping Centre.

The group, which includes a number of people with vision loss who have guide dogs, is always looking for volunteers to help prepare and run the fundraising stalls, including preparing raffles, selling tickets and talking to interested community members about the work of guide dogs.

It costs more than $35,000 to breed, raise and train each guide dog, with demand for them growing as the number of people with vision loss increases.

Every day in Australia, 28 people are diagnosed with vision loss that cannot be corrected, including nine who will become blind.

Over the past year, Guide Dogs has responded to almost 300 requests for services from Central Coast residents with vision loss.

Services include training in how to safely get around using long canes, guide dogs and electronic travel aids, such as talking GPS.

Media Release, 25 Jan 2017

Lynne Lillico, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT Central Coast