Are You Registered?

Today is National Voter Registration Day.

Are you registered?  Have you moved and need to register in your new location?  The presidential election is 7 weeks from today.  You could easily register online or look for a local registration event.  

Are you going to be out of town for the election?  Request an absentee ballot.  

Maybe you know a college student that won't be home to vote, or an elderly person who can't leave home to cast their vote, they are eligible for an absentee ballot as are military personnel serving away from their home voting precinct.  These are the circumstances that allow for absentee ballots in Michigan:

• age 60 years old or older
• unable to vote without assistance at the polls
• expecting to be out of town on election day
• in jail awaiting arraignment or trial
• unable to attend the polls due to religious reasons
• appointed to work as an election inspector in a precinct outside of your precinct of residence.

Check with your state's Secretary of State webpage for information regarding obtaining an absentee ballot.  

Sydney's Birthday

Sydney, our Leader Dog puppy in training is one year old today. 

Happy Birthday Sydney!

Sadly, (for me) a birthday for Sydney means that it is close to the time she returns to the Leader Dog campus for intensive training and to meet her visually impaired partner.  We wish Sydney much success but we sure will miss her. 

Meet Sydney: Future Leader Dog for the Blind

Sydney

She is a 5 month old Labrador Retriever puppy that came to live with us on Saturday. 

Our precious Nikki died at 15 1/2 years old in April.  Hubby and I were so sad that we immediately applied to be puppy raisers for the organization Leader Dogs for the Blind.

 We were very excited to be approved as puppy raisers and were eager to get a puppy this summer.  Saturday was an open house at the Leader Dogs for the Blind campus in nearby Rochester, MI.  

When I entered the lobby for registration I was greeted with the scent of "wet dog" and was captivated by the sight of calm, obedient dogs sitting at the feet of their raisers and owners.  The veteran puppy raisers welcomed me as a new raiser and assured me it was a rewarding, fun, and sometimes exasperating experience.  

Two puppies with their Leader Dog bandanas awaiting obedience evaluation.

Puppy play area in the kennel.

The kennel houses up to 310 puppies and dogs in various phases of training.

  

april 11, 2011

I already know that on April 11, I need to take Sydney back to the Leader Dog campus where she will undergo several phases of training and then be paired with a student.   After successful completion of the program, the graduate of the program will take Sydney home and be able to lead of life with greater mobility,independence, and quality of life.

You could raise a puppy too.  Click here for information about raising a puppy to be a Leader Dog.