I love taking part in fundraisers that benefit the South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind. They have trained all three of my previous guide dogs, and I am waiting, almost always patiently, to hear from them that my partner #4 is on its way.
So, when I was asked to not only speak but also sing at the Love Your Guide Dog high tea fundraiser, I didn’t hesitate to accept. The Love Your Guide Dog events have taken place for years in Fish Hoek, a suburb of Cape Town not far from my home. I was involved with the dinner they gave in 2019 and would have been a speaker at the 2020 event. Only the pandemic made it impossible. So I was excited to take part again this year.
Janice Salthouse, partner to service dog Philippe, is the power behind the Love Your Guide Dog events and Facebook group. Each year’s event is a little different, and Janice works tirelessly to find sponsors, service providers and supporters to make each one unforgettable. A particular high point for me is that there are always plenty of guide and service dogs, and dogs-in-training who accompany their humans. Which makes for a fun time, with the occasional bark or two, or three.
At the event on 18 May this year, Janice asked me to tell stories from my time with my guide dogs, to inspire people to continue supporting the Guide-Dogs Association and to help them understand what it’s like working with a guide in real life. She especially asked me to talk about what it was like losing Guide Dog Fiji so unexpectedly and the emotional impact it had on me.
She also requested I provide a little music, which was an added incentive for me. I selected five songs, four that I hoped people would recognise and one of my own. Michelle Botha, partner to Guide Dog Elva, also sang a few jazz standards and I thought my contemporary tunes made a good counterpoint to her selections. The finale of this year’s event was a duet, with Michelle and I joining voices to sing “Walk with Me”, the song that Michelle wrote for the Love Your Guide Dog events which is always a firm favourite with the audience.
The high tea was a huge success and raised R25000 for the Guide-Dogs Association. I was thrilled to be supported by my husband and some of my neighbours who came along to see what it was all about.
Well done to Janice and Philippe for yet again pulling off such a wonderful Love Your Guide Dog event. They truly deserve it!
