By Dongyun Kwon and Seren Howells
Guide Dogs Victoria is calling on all students and schools across the state to help raise vital funds for individuals living with low vision or blindness and be in with a unique chance of naming the newest litter of puppies.
The latest campaign Puppy Pledge encourages all students across Victoria to take part in a fundraising competition, giving them seven weeks to raise as much money as possible to take home the winning prize of naming Guide Dogs Victoria’s newest additions.
Whether it’s bake sales, casual clothes days or crazy-hair days, students, parents and teachers from any school have until Friday 6 September to secure the top spot, with second and third prizes also on offer.
Guide Dogs Victoria chief executive officer Nicky Long said the Puppy Pledge is a fantastic opportunity for students to engage in community service and support individuals with low vision or blindness while having fun.
“Puppy Pledge is a new fundraising campaign for guide dogs Victoria, where we’re calling on all school-age children to make a pledge to help us raise and train our dogs to become guide dogs,” she said.
“We’re asking all school-age children to set up a fundraising page via our website and come up with innovative ways to fundraise with their friends.
“We are excited to see the creative fundraising ideas that students will come up with and the positive impact they will make.”
An official award ceremony will be held at the newly constructed Guide Dogs Victoria’s campus in Kew.
The top fundraisers will be honoured for their outstanding contributions and celebrated for their creativity and dedication to the Puppy Pledge.
“At the end of seven weeks, we’ll look at the top fundraisers, and they will win the opportunity to name a litter of pups as the first prize,” Ms Long said.
“Second prize is to name one pup in another litter, and then third prize is a series of books about a wonderful dog called Mr Walker.”
This is the first time Guide Dogs Victoria to held this campaign.
Ms Long said it is important to ensure the next generation keeps supporting people with blindness and low vision.
“Guide Dogs Victoria has been around for nearly 70 years and we have long-standing supporters who have grown up with guide dogs,” she said.
“We recognise that we need to ensure that the next generation understands what blind and low vision people need, what support services Guide Dogs Victoria delivers.
“Not only will they support our work, but also they’ll make people who are blind and have low vision feel more included in their local community.”
Guide Dogs Victoria invites all Victorian schools to get involved in this impactful campaign.
By participating, schools and students can make a significant difference in the lives of those who rely on guide dogs for independence and mobility.
For more information on how to participate in the Puppy Pledge campaign and to register, please visit the Guide Dogs Victoria website at vic.guidedogs.com.au/get-involved/puppy-pledge/
