Great things about being blind. The fund raising dog

The memories about my recently departed retired guide dog Gia keep flooding in. I am so grateful for them. Little wonderful gems that keep me warm and touch my heart as we work our way through her loss. And a little black guide dog with a wagging whole body and a kind wonderful nature who also is helping me through this. A memory came theother day which I had forgotten. Gia accompanied me to many storytelling events.
I am a member of Ottawa Storytellers.
www.ottawastorytellers.ca
An artist with masc
www.masconline.ca
And a member of storytellers of Canada
www.sc-cc.ca
At a national storytelling conference a few years ago, we were raising money for a project called storysave which records a CD each year of a storyteller so that their voices and stories do not get lost.
Just as a joke, before one of our breaks, I said, "Well, if anyone wants to pat Gia when she isn't wearing her guiding harness, you will have to pay me a dollar."
That was just before a break.
At break, I was very popular. No, Gia was very popular.
In her regal fashion, she lay or sat and wagged, offered a paw, and let her adoring public pat her.
I was a bit surprised when the money started getting passed to me.
Then people said, if they paid me two dollars, or five dollars, could they pat her for longer?
I wasn't sure what to say.
I know we aren't supposed to use our dogs for fund raising but this was a good cause.
In about a half hour, Gia raised more than 40 dollars for the storysave project.
The money kept coming in too.
My fellow storytellers were very respectful about not patting Gia when she was wearing her harness and working.
It is important not to pat a guide dog who is working.
Thanks to my guide dog school, guide dogs for the blind
www.guidedogs.com
for all they do and for all four of my wonderful guides.
Thanks to my friends for the Gia memories that are keeping me warm.
Thanks to Gia for her wonderful spirit and for Tulia for her happy and steady self at this time.