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Show May 23, 1996 Page 3A Fighter Country Providing puppies pleases people blind Wing family helps by raising guide dogs By SSgt J.C. Woodring the puppies by expo- sure, according to Gay of Treadwell, When MSgt Bob Cates deployed to Puppy Partners. Southwest Asia with the 729th Air Con"Dogs normally retrol Squadron in 1994, he knew his wife act to things like sirens was expecting an addition to their family or other dogs, so we before he returned. bring the puppies to In May 1994, Judy Brangwin places like the fire deReva, partment where we brought home a yellow Labrador retriever, as part of a teach them not to react," 4--H Club program to raise puppies to be said Treadwell. "Our goal is to have them with guide dogs for the blind. us everywhere." Cates and here moved Brangwin from overseas where, by their own conPuppies get to go fession, they got a little spoiled. camping, visit the hos"Germany was great because we pital, shop and even ride as passengers on aircould literally bring our Irish setter, GinAnywhere ger, with us everywhere," Brangwin said. planes. This is not the case in the United people go, the dogs go with them because a States. Photo by SSgf. J.C Woodrinc blind person might have died In 1993, of Ginger from his newest lovin' some Control Air 729th Bob those to to Squadron, gets Cates, places too, MSgt. cancer. go "After she died, we were without a according to Treadwell addition to the family, Kiva. "I'm an elementary family dog," she said. "I saw some dogs school dog material, the raiser has the first opI bring though an intensive, school teacher," said Brangwin. in 'Guide Dog Puppy wearing green the tion of keeping the dog as their pet" with work to trained are where The me school with they everyday. Training' jackets, but thought it was a our dog to When the dogs pass the test and blind. kids love it" kids' program." have we when emotional the "It's leave they do so in a very emotional, graduate, the house, very dogs Anytime Later, she found out that the program was also for adults and quickly signed the raisers record the information and to send the kids off to college," Cates said formal ceremony, according to Cates. The blind people about to receive the forward it monthly to Guide Dogs for the referring to the school where the dogs are up. group that trained. "They are our children, and we dogs sit on the stage. The announcer calls Blind, Inc., a California-base- d "I love taking my dog everywhere," breeds and trains the Puppy Partners know mat they'll never be coming home the raiser to the stage. The raiser then Brangwin said. "And, there isn't a betto live again." d, says a few words before he gives the dog seeing-ey- e ter feeling in the world than knowing dogs. Once loved to the blind person. After receiving the their of To the ease are losing about pain proeach, worth $40,000 we're able to help a blind person.'' dogs, the new raisers most dog, the blind person tells the group how puppies one, get Puppy Partners, the club Brangwin vided to the blind at no cost to the perschool. having the dog will change their lives, acto ones off old their same go son. day adult and Cates belong to, is a group of "It's so exciting, waiting for the new cording to Cates. Once a week, members of Puppy volunteers who get puppies When Cates and Brangwin went to to be presented to me," said animals how the meet to teach puppy Partners to and raise them for a year, according "first child's" graduation, they wontheir to behave around other dogs, according Brangwin. the NCO. the if Reva would remember them. dered A big part of the excitement is "Many people say we're crazy, he to Cates. went wild when she recog"Reva "name them to take game." said. "We get a puppy when it chews on "Every other week, we Blind tells us nized us," said Cates. "She jumped on the for Cates. "Guide said in Dogs obedience and Ogden," training everything, doesn't mind anyone us and licked us like she had just left yeswhat the first letter of our new puppies makes messes on the floor. Then, after "We learn how to teach the dogs and pracname terday." find the out don't we name but alterOn the two is, weeks. next the for tice we teach it to stop doing all those bad When the couple gave their baby nate weeks, we meet in homes or restau- until we get the dog," said Brangwin. things, we give it away." can it was a moment they will never see to if a away, "We new anyone in to used game the play to rants being dogs Cates compares it to raising a get before the according to Cates. of name the forget, they're dogs guess child every year. surroundings." was a very proud moment for us "It announced." don't new The stop surroundings "You never know what they'll do," Blind-bre- d we saw who Reva will spend the when the for pupGuide Dogs when the year is over. The dogs are he said. curher life with," said Cates. rest of name a as same never the have Blind the for Guide pies evDogs picked up by During the year, puppies follow The highlight of the day was when California where they go rent guide dog, but all the puppies from a erywhere their raisers go. This helps train and brought to litter have a name that starts with the they met the woman Reva would live with, according to Brangwin. same letter and are tattooed with a numwould-b- e to "We couldn't have been paired betthe abide raisers them. by ber Partners identifying requires Puppy we tried. She still writes and tells name ter if a one This person guessed year, following before they can receive a puppy: life has improved correctly out of a group of close to 100. us of how much her Attend six months of meetings Not all of the dogs sent to college since Reva came to live with her," said for the other members of the club Puppy-si- t graduate. Some are chosen as breeders Brangwin. The proud parents do caution those and others are career changed from the Have a fenced-i- n yard in following in their footsteps. interested reasons. other for program an indoor dog Be well aware that the dog is "This isn't for everyone. You've rea as chosen is raised a "If dog you contact to or to information Partners, For more join Puppy ally got love the animals and be combreeder, you get first choice of the pupmitted 54S-991to having them be part of your fam"If said Treadwell to for Treadwell at pies you raise," entire year," said Cates. an ily your dog is determined not to be guide- Editor, Fighter Country f ?.V'- - f iff ce five-mon- th fully-traine- . 2. Volleyball playoffs begin with pair of upsets Game one was a forfeit due to the lack of players on the the floor against the 729th ACS in a best out of three SPS team. 75th 15-- 8, 1. 5, games win 15-1- 1 11-115-- 8, Johnny "Red" Walker had four kills while Dave "King AETC took an early 2 lead in third game. The of Beach" Chancy added three more to help the 34th FS -9 advantage came from the smart play of Eric Fink and terminate the 75th SPS. Walker McCurdy. 15-- 8 7, The last playoff challenge of the night was between the 4 a in resulted team each for A pair of sideouts 388th Fighter Wing and the 75th Civil Engineer Squadron. score. AETC extended the lead thanks to a series of 15-15-- 7, By AB Sara Banda Rodriguez two-gaa In 11-- 4. sweep, the 388th FW prevailed score the made 729th errors which FS 34th Staff writer the Wednesday, of the two round In playoffs Several plays later McCurdy slipped a dink past defeated them twice during the who 388th FW the faced 14-held 729th The 8 edge. The top two intramural volleyball teams, the 75th the blockers to give AETC a 1, but regular season. The 729th ACS awaits the loser of match fell off defeat and managed to close the gap to Security Police and 729th Air Control squadrons, between the 75th Communications Squadron and the 75th block. solo a with in the first round of playoff action Tuesday to the 34th McCurdy sealed the match In the second upset of the night, the undefeated Medical Group. Fighter Squadron and Air Education Training The playoffs end tomorrow with the championship 75th Security Police Squadron was shot down by the Command's Training Support Squadron. 15-15-game starting at 5:45 p.m. at the Hess Fitness Center. The first upset came when AETC took control of "Rude Rams" of the 34th Fighter Squadron First round scores: AETC clef. 729th ACS 5, 34th FS def. 75th SPS 388th FW def. 75th CES 15-- 11-1- 15-1- 5-- 15-0,15- 7-- 8. 14-1- 0, 9. |