(Palmetto, Fla.)—May 3, 2018—The 32nd annual Walkathon of 2018 has ended and once again, Southeastern Guide Dogs’ two-and-four-legged supporters broke the fundraising record! More than 1.2 million dollars was raised by participants in Sarasota, Bradenton, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Polk County, Lakewood Ranch, Orlando and Fort Myers. New this year were eight virtual walkathons, four of which were completely conducted online, and another four where volunteers held their own events in North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama and South Florida.
Watch our colorful, fun-filled Walkathon highlight video:
“Our family and dog-friendly Walkathon is our largest fundraiser of the year and we continue to be delighted by the numbers of walkers, dogs and money raised,” said CEO Titus Herman. “This more-than-30-year tradition makes a difference in the lives of people with vision loss and veterans with disabilities who rely on our extraordinary dogs for their freedom, independence, dignity and mobility. We receive no federal funding and count on private philanthropy, including generous Walkathon donors and volunteers, to underwrite our services, for which there is never any charge. We also thank Progressive for being our Walkathon Presenting Sponsor this year.”
Watch Facebook Live for the $10,000 Walkathon raffle drawing to be held on Monday, May 7 at 1 p.m. at: facebook.com/southeasternguidedogs
About Southeastern Guide Dogs
Southeastern Guide Dogs transforms lives by creating and nurturing extraordinary partnerships between people and dogs. Employing the latest in canine development and behavior research, the national organization trains guide dogs, service dogs and companion dogs for people living with significant challenges including those with visual impairments and veterans with disabilities.
All of Southeastern Guide Dogs’ services – which include selective breeding and expert dog training; comprehensive on-campus student instruction; and lifetime graduate follow-up – are provided at no cost to the recipients. The charity relies 100% on private donations and receives no government funding. Southeastern Guide Dogs has the distinction of being dually accredited by the two premier, global accreditation bodies: The International Guide Dog Federation and Assistance Dogs International. For more information, visit www.GuideDogs.org.