Awards

Canine Companions for Independence Facility Teams
Funded by Wood Foundation Grant

canine companion dog with childThe Kathy and Jerry Wood Foundation of Annapolis, Maryland, has made a $50,000 donation to assist in providing follow-up services to recipients of Canine Companions for Independence facility teams working with children with disabilities in schools across the region, including 13 states from Maine to Virginia. The grant will assist Canine Companions by providing services to graduate teams like Patricia Lenzo and Facility Dog Gino, who work at the ECLC special needs school in Chatham, New Jersey. Patricia was placed with Gino in May 2011 and works as a canine educator, helping students with disabilities in academic, physical, motivational and behavioral environments.

Founded in 1975, Canine Companions for Independence is a non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships. Headquartered in Santa Rosa, California, Canine Companions is the largest non-profit provider of assistance dogs, and is recognized worldwide for the excellence of its dogs, and the quality and longevity of the matches it makes between dogs and people. The result is a life full of increased independence and loving companionship.

Mr. Wood, who died in 2003, started the United States Sailboat and Powerboat shows in the 1970s. Today, the October events pump a combined $51 million into the Annapolis area economy each year.  Mrs. Wood, who took over the business after her husband’s death, died in 2005.

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