Guiding Eyes President and CEO to Run New York City Marathon

Guiding Eyes for the Blind, known around the globe as one of the foremost guide dog schools, is pleased to announce Thomas Panek, the organization’s President and CEO, will run the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon on November 2. Panek, who is blind, will navigate the 26.2 miles tethered to a sighted guide. He has set a fundraising goal of $26,200 to help others who are visually impaired and children with autism who are on the waiting list in need of a Guiding Eyes dog.

An athlete in his youth, Panek gave up sports for many years after losing his eyesight. With a lot of hard work and a little help from other runners, however, he has rediscovered his love for the open road. “Even though I can’t see anymore, running with guides allows me to enjoy the outdoors, make new friends and help others understand it is possible to overcome the challenge of visual impairment,” he shared.

A Westchester County resident, he fulfilled one of his personal goals earlier in the year when he crossed the Boston Marathon finish line, greeted by his Guiding Eyes dog, a two year-old yellow Lab named “Gus.”

“When my eyesight went, I was hesitant to even walk slowly down the street by myself,” shares Panek. “But then a great gift was given to me – I put my trust in a guide dog. Now that I have Gus, I can navigate the world with confidence and I want others to feel the same way.”

In New York, Panek will be guided along the 26.2-mile route by Michael Friedman and Amy Hanlon. Friedman, a long-time participant in Running Rabbis, a group that uses distance running to advance social causes, has for the past two years guided visually impaired runners in the New York City Marathon. Ultra-marathoner Hanlon has run over 40 distance races in the past two years, but the NYC Marathon will be her first race as a sighted guide.

“A Guiding Eyes dog gives me and many others the ability to travel independently and safely,” says Panek. “Gus has a fast pace and happily helps guide me with ease across streets for miles in Manhattan, though asking him to run 26.2 miles down the middle of 5th Avenue at a full sprint is something best left to New Yorkers of the human-kind.”

Guiding Eyes for the Blind provides guide dogs, professional training and veterinary services for men and women who are blind or visually impaired at no cost. The organization relies solely on contributions to fulfill its mission. Additionally, Guiding Eyes’ dogs who do not become guide dogs may also be specially trained as service dogs to help children on the autism spectrum.

For more information or to make a donation to Guiding Eyes in support of Thomas Panek’s upcoming New York City Marathon run, visit www.guidingeyes.org.

Guiding Eyes for the Blind is located at 611 Granite Springs Road in Yorktown Heights, NY. They can be reached at 914.245.4024 or by visiting www.guidingeyes.org. For the latest news, please visit Guiding Eyes on Facebook (www.facebook.com/guidingeyes) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/guidingeyes).

About Guiding Eyes for the Blind: Guiding Eyes for the Blind is an internationally accredited 501(c)(3) nonprofit guide dog school founded in 1954. Since its inception, Guiding Eyes has grown to be one of the foremost guide dog schools in the world, known for its cutting-edge training programs, commitment to excellence, and dedication to its elite and superbly trained guide dogs. In 2008, the school launched Heeling Autism, a service dog program designed to provide safety and companionship for children on the autism spectrum. Guiding Eyes provides all of its services at no cost, and is dependent upon contributions to fulfill its mission. The organization’s Headquarters and Training Center is located in Yorktown Heights, N.Y. and its Canine Development Center is in Patterson, N.Y. For more info, visit www.guidingeyes.org, like Guiding Eyes on Facebook (www.facebook.com/guidingeyes) or follow @guidingeyes on Twitter.

 

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Submitted by Katonah, NY

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