Each year, Guide Dog Users Of California requests nominations for the purpose of selecting a recipient for the award, California Guide Dog Instructor Of The Year. This honor is presented by The California State Board Of Guide Dogs For The Blind during Guide Dog Day At The Capitol ceremonies which takes place in Sacramento in the spring of each year. Nominations should be submitted to Guide Dog Users Of California Board members no later than February 15, 2004, and the criteria are as follows:

Nominees shall have no less than five years licensed experience working in the field with guide dog handlers. This individual must be actively employed as a guide dog instructor currently licensed in the state of California. A recipient of the California Guide Dog Instructor Of The Year Awardee must be someone who has demonstrated exemplary awareness and sensitivity to blindness issues; and one who has gone beyond the call of duty in his or her efforts to support the needs of working teams.

Past winners are:

• '03 Lorie Brown, Guide Dogs for the Blind
• '02 Terry Barrett, Guide Dogs for the Blind
• '01 Bob Wendler, Guide Dogs of America
• '00 Pete O'Riley, Guide Dogs for the Blind
• '99 Chuck Jordan, Guide Dogs of America
• '98 Keith Labour, Guide Dogs for the Blind
• '97 Nick Terrones, Guide Dogs for the Blind
• '96 Keith Tomlinson, Guide Dogs for the Blind and Steve Burkeman, Guide Dogs of America

GDUC's spring activities will take place April 15 through 18, 2004, at the Fremont Hilton Hotel in conjunction with the spring convention of the California Council of the Blind. Please check back here for details as we plan our program, and stay tuned as well for information about Guide Dog Day At The Capitol 2004.

If you would like to see an event listed here, please contact us, and we will review your request.