Palmetto, FL – Come along on a journey as Southeastern Guide Dogs welcomes the public back to campus for Beyond the Dark, a program where attendees will meet graduates, hear their triumphant stories and witness how extraordinary dogs transform lives. Beyond the Dark invites participants to experience this transformation and connect with the mission of Southeastern Guide Dogs. Tickets are on sale now.
Through sensory experiences, participants will see what it is like to benefit from a guide or service dog. Graduates will also share the powerful stories that led them to Southeastern Guide Dogs, while instructors will demonstrate the advanced skills of our working dogs.
“Beyond the Dark helps people see what it’s like for a veteran like me to find help through my service dog, Pella,” said Sean Brown, U.S. Army Veteran and Southeastern Guide Dogs graduate. “I have accomplished so much because of her. She’s the inspiration that keeps me going, just like all of our service dogs do for my fellow graduates. The Beyond the Dark experience will give people insight into this and see how truly amazing our dogs are.”
Tickets for Beyond the Dark are currently on sale through the Southeastern Guide Dogs website. The cost of admission is $20, and ticket sales go toward mission-critical support for the organization. The first presentation of Beyond the Dark is scheduled for July 13, 2021, at 10 a.m., and it will continue to run weekly.
Important Details for those Attending:
•Masks are optional at this event.
•Doors open at 9:45 a.m. and the program begins promptly at 10:00 a.m.
•Without revealing any surprises, be prepared to engage your senses and try on a blindfold.
•Because of the sensory and emotional nature of the program, Beyond the Dark is not recommended for young children or preteens.
•Trigger warning—for veterans and others with PTSD, be aware that Beyond the Dark includes an audio presentation reminiscent of combat scenes.
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About Southeastern Guide Dogs
Southeastern Guide Dogs transforms lives by creating and nurturing extraordinary partnerships between people and dogs. Our organization operates the most advanced training facilities of any service dog organization in the world. Our experts breed, raise, and train elite working dogs—including guide dogs, service dogs, and skilled companion dogs—and provide life-changing services for people with vision loss, veterans with disabilities, and children with significant challenges such as vision loss or the loss of a parent in the military. Southeastern Guide Dogs has successfully created thousands of guide dog and service dog teams throughout the United States since our inception in 1982, and currently oversees the wellbeing of over 1,200 puppies and dogs.
All of our services—which include state-of-the-art research on canine health and development; selective breeding; expert dog training; comprehensive on-campus student instruction; and the most robust alumni support program in North America—are provided at no cost to our clients. We rely 100% on private donations. 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. Learn more at www.GuideDogs.org.