Some danced. Some chatted. Some just relaxed. But we all walked under the stars last Friday night at the CNIB’s Night Steps Walk at Ashbridges Bay in Toronto. What a great event that raised money and awareness for people in Canada who suffer from vision loss. The weather was perfect for this family friendly event down by the lake. People of all ages came out to walk, all wearing their blue Night Steps t-shirts. Of course no event would be complete without our favourite canine companions. It was great to see some official guide dogs there (knowing our pups would some day be as well behaved as them) and lots of other beloved family pet dogs… all sporting their blue Night Steps bandanas. Keller was one of the guide dog puppies who came to show her support. She was beyond excited to see so many furry friends.
Live music filled the air, while kids played games with their painted faces. Family and friends all sat eating and talking. Everyone gathered as a community with one goal in mind…to have a fun night walking under the stars, while also raising money for CNIB’s new Foundation.This foundation is entirely dependent on charitable funding so it can provide programs and services that address the social and emotional needs of people who are blind or partially sighted.
Our guide dog puppies were represented by Baker and Keller. Baker is one of the first two puppies to arrive into CNIB’s Guide Dog program this year (along with his brother Piper). He is the most handsome golden retriever, who headed up the team “Bakers Troop”.
We attempted to get a shot of Baker and Keller together, but it took some serious puppy wrangling to get these two to sit together.
Keller had her own personal team.
The sun set and dusk settled in, so we started to gather our teams and head out for the 5 km walk along the beautiful boardwalk. It was such a beautiful night. As the last bit of light faded our glow sticks glowed a little brighter. So did the opportunities for life-changing support services for people here in Canada who suffer from vision loss. Over 250 people attended this amazing event, raising close to $40,000!