Cairns man celebrates independence - April 2010

The joy of finding independence through the eyes of a Guide Dog will be celebrated on International Guide Dog Day, Wednesday, April 28.

Guide Dogs Queensland will mark the important international day with a special Guide Dog Team Graduation ceremony at their Breeding and Training Centre in Bald Hills which includes Cairns Barrister Barry Murray.

Mr Murray will travel to Brisbane to receive a graduation medallion and provide a speech on maintaining an independent life through the eyes of his Guide Dog ‘Ike’ who he was matched with in the last 12 months.

Mr Murray, who was born blind, is well known in Cairn’s legal circles and also lectures part time at James Cook University.

In addition, Guide Dogs Queensland will hold a fundraising stall at the Cairns Central Shopping Centre where another local Guide Dog user Geoff Skinner will volunteer to help raise funds for Guide Dogs.

Guide Dogs Queensland CEO Chris Laine said International Guide Dog Day was particularly auspicious as this year the iconic brand marked 50 years of providing services to Queenslanders who were blind or vision impaired.

“International Guide Dog Day is a chance for us to highlight the important role Guide Dogs play in the lives of Queenslanders and the fact that Guide Dogs and pups in training have the right to enter public places and business premises” Ms Laine said.

She said new laws introduced last year had increased the penalty to $10,000 for anyone refusing access to a Guide Dog or Guide Dog-in-training. “To deny Guide Dog handlers access to public places such as restaurants, hotels and taxis is discrimination and against the law in Queensland,” she said.

Ms Laine said Guide Dogs Queensland wished to thank Queensland for supporting the association for 50 years.

“We receive no funding for our Guide Dogs yet they cost $30,000 to produce. Thanks to community support, we are able to provide them free of charge to Queenslanders who are blind,” she said.

What: International Guide Dog Day Fundraising Stall - Cairns Central Shopping Centre
When: Wednesday, 28 April 9am – 11am (Guide Dog Client Geoff Skinner and ‘Gadget” will available for interviews)
Contact: GDQ Community Relations Officer Gillian Bolton on M: 0415 582972
email: g.bolton@guidedogsqld.com.au