Students at

Peachtree City United Methodist Pre-Kindergarten and

their families succeeded in raising $600 in change to

send Rachel, a chocolate lab, to school for training as a

guide dog.

"We

collected money for her to go school from Mom and

Dad," said Evan Novelly. "She is learning to

help a guy who is blind," added Chase Haithcox.

School

director Cathie Lusted said she and the staff wanted to

initiate a community service project that would have

meaning for the children and incorporate their parents as

well.

"I had

read a newspaper article about the work done by Canine

Vision and the placement of a dog at McIntosh High

School," she said. "It was decided that raising

money for this organization would meet our goals. I

contacted Sally Sue Bradley [director of Canine Vision]

and she agreed to bring a young dog that was to begin

additional training to our school," Lusted added.

"We

were fortunate to have Rachel visit our school twice so

that all the children could have the opportunity to see

her," she said. "The parents were very

supportive of our project and wanted to be kept informed

of how much money was collected each week," Lusted

said.

Bradley,

who trains the dogs in Villa Rica, said Rachel was given

her "jacket," which identifies her as a guide

dog, at five months of age. The jacket allows her access

into stores, church, restaurants and other public

facilities. "She had to learn that whenever she had

her jacket on, she was working and had to behave

differently," Bradley said.

Rachel

weighs about 70 pounds and returned to school in November

for advanced training. "Her first task was to get

used to wearing the harness and listening to a person

giving her commands. She must also learn to stop at

curbs, steps, doors and any surface change such as gravel

to grass, driveway to street, etc.," Bradley

explained.

Guide dogs

are never petted or touched by anyone other than the

person who has the harness in his or her hands, because

this can distract the dogs and cause them to lead their

charges into dangerous situations, explained Bradley.

The

preschool students exceeded their goal of raising $500 by

more than $100, donating a total of $601.24. "We had

a jar that we used to collect the money. It was

circulated between the classrooms daily. The children

could dump their money in themselves," Lusted said.

"I brought my money in a baggie," said Maddie

Martaus.

According

to Bradley, it costs $10,000 to train a guide dog.

"The school (Canine Vision Center) receives no state

or federal funding, only donations," she said.

"There

are 18,500 visually impaired people in the state of

Georgia alone. Of that number 2 percent, or 370 people,

are good guide dog candidates," Bradley added.

"Last year we graduated six dogs and hope to do the

same this year."

Canine

Vision Inc. is the only school among the states of

Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina, Bradley

said. "We are one of two schools in the U.S. that

train in the community of the visually impaired person,

the other being in Connecticut," Bradley said.

For

information about the Canine Vision Center, phone Sally

Sue Bradley at 770-459-4872 (school) or 770-599-0680

(home).

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