Labs Live at Andrei's III

Last Saturday, more than 125 people attended “Labs Live at Andrei’s III,” a fundraiser put on by the Orange County Friends Committee of Guide Dogs for the Blind. The event raised more than $32,000 to support GDB programs in the Orange County area, where 33 of our puppies and 50 working Guide Dog teams currently reside.

The luncheon was located at the beautiful Andrei’s Restaurant in Irvine. Guests were treated to demonstration of vision adaptive equipment by GDB alumnus Wayne Heidle with his guide Tuesday. In addition, all enjoyed a moving presentation that featured remarks by GDB alumna Linda Becker with her Guide Dog Anchorage, a keynote address by GDB alumna Theresa Stern with her Guide Dog Dario, and a special “puppy delivery” where a yellow Lab puppy named Connie was introduced to her volunteer puppy raisers. In addition, our new CEO Paul Lopez was introduced and provided his background and vision for GDB. To see photos, please visit our Flickr site.

This was the eighth fundraiser for Guide Dogs for the Blind in Orange County. Special thanks to GDB’s Orange County Friends Committee, including event co-hosts Susan and Dave Gerke, who helped organize and produce the festive and informative affair.