“Pins for Pups” Rolls in Dollars to Support Guides and Puppy Raisers

The Rocky Rovers GDB alumni chapter in Colorado held its Third Annual Pins for Pups and have raised nearly $6,000 over the past three years to support Colorado GDB alumni and puppy raisers and national Guide Dogs for the Blind projects.

Seventeen GDB alumni, puppy raisers and their friends and family came out to Crown Bowling Lanes in Denver to participate in our chapter fund raiser. We had a ton of fun as well!  Two lanes were set up with rails for those folks who were totally blind to be able to find their way to their lane and hopefully send the ball down on the correct lane.

Members from the Rocky Rovers GDB alumni chapter pose with their guides (in the background are the bowling lanes).


Our guide dogs and puppies-in-training sat patiently while their handlers rolled down the lanes in hopes of winning prizes for the highest overall score. The top award for guide handler went to our chapter president, Andre Van Hall. Michael Brobst won the prize for highest score for the puppy raisers. The grand prize for raising the most funds by a guide handler was a weekend night for two at the Hyatt, Downtown Denver and was won by Richard Faubion. The top prize for the puppy raiser who raised the most money was Barb Wells.

Funds raised by Pins for Pups, as well as special donations from Colorado alumni, puppy raisers and their friends, were donated to GDB to support the new dorm facility at the San Rafael campus, $1,545. Funds have also been used to buy two harnesses, $700 total, to honor two local puppy raiser clubs who have raisers active in the Rocky Rovers group: Have Paws, Will Travel and Liberty on Leashes.

With over $2,900 in our chapter account at the end of 2014, these funds will help underwrite our annual Holiday Party; $500 is planned to be donated to GDB for the new Whelping Complex in San Rafael; and a $500 scholarship will be offered to a guide dog handler who would like to attend the Portland Alumni Reunion in 2015.

We request that any Colorado guide user who has a request for support to please contact the Rocky Rover’s leadership by calling 720-207-8362. Our GDB Colorado Rocky Rovers chapter continues to have wonderful social events while raising money to make a difference for folks impacted by vision loss across Colorado and the United States!