Current Post – December 23, 2025

A Holiday Message of Gratitude from Pat and Hogan

	Team Hogan brings holiday cheer to the morning commute.

Hello and Season’s Greetings, Guiding Eyes family!

Pat Leahy and guide dog Hogan here. I hope you and your pups are doing great and helping spread the holiday cheer. During my recent service as President of the Guiding Eyes for the Blind Graduate Council, I have had the pleasure of getting to know our community better and working closely with many of you. I wanted to reach out and thank everyone for making this experience so rewarding and meaningful. The holidays felt like a perfect time to send a brief note and extend my gratitude.

I’d like to tell a little story. The other day, Hogan and I were getting on the Eastern Market subway on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. As we headed down the escalator, a family chased us down. They were recent GEB puppy raisers and wanted to meet a graduate team. We were happy to oblige. Once we reached the bottom of the escalator, I pulled over to the side and took off Hogan’s harness. We all basked in the happiness of a bouncing Hogan, the crisp morning air, and stories about their current pup-in-training. As I headed off to start my workday, I was reminded once again of the many people and ways they give back to Guiding Eyes and support guide dog teams across the country.

I’ve been blessed to have had four outstanding dogs from Guiding Eyes over the past 33 years. My heartfelt thanks for all of the friendships, guidance, and shared journeys that have come with that experience. In the spirit of celebrating the community’s accomplishments during this season of joy, I wanted to provide a few highlights from the past year.

During my time as President, we witnessed firsthand the dedication of the Guiding Eyes family, including graduates, GEB staff, puppy raisers, and volunteers. As a result of feedback from fellow graduates, the community stepped up once again and rolled out enhanced support for grads. I frequently see engaging communications from Guiding Eyes, including compelling newsletters, well-attended virtual forums, and special events hosted by the Council. The graduate community is strong, vibrant, and filled with fellowship and friendship. Guiding Eyes is truly a family, and honoring our commitment to the entire community is essential for future growth.

The Council and staff at GEB work incredibly hard, and I’d like to highlight just a few Council-GEB accomplishments. Our 2025 efforts included advancing communications with the graduate community, developing guidance on protecting civil rights during rideshare travel, addressing guide dog safety amidst graduate’s concerns about fake service dogs, and facilitating much-needed group-based support for bereavement and guide dog retirement.

Over the past year, the Council, in collaboration with Guiding Eyes, hosted dozens of virtual forums on a wide range of topics, further engaging a graduate community that will, in turn, encourage and attract prospective students. This important work continues. A shoutout and thank you to my fellow Grad Council teammates and to all who have previously served on the Council. I would especially like to thank Judy Matthews, our Council Vice President. Judy and I have worked closely together on many initiatives, and she’s a wonderful colleague.

As we look ahead to the future of Guiding Eyes, I want to take this opportunity to lift up everyone involved in the GEB family. Together, we recognize the contributions of GEB staff, trainers, puppy raisers, volunteers, the Board of Directors, donors, and everyone on the team.

A warm welcome to Chris Perry, our new President and CEO. Chris, we’re so pleased you’ve joined the Guiding Eyes family. We appreciate your recent holiday message to the graduate community. We’re cheering for you and can’t wait to see what the new year brings. I’d also like to extend a big thank you to Eduardo Andrade, whose steady leadership helped navigate Guiding Eyes through a pivotal time.

As Council President Emeritus, I intend to stay involved with graduate efforts and, along with a few friends, hope to launch a couple of small guide dog-related initiatives in 2026. Please stay tuned.

I also want to send a tender note to anyone across the GEB family who may have lost their pup over the rainbow bridge or experienced a transition to a new dog in 2025. While the holidays are a time for cheer and celebration, they are also a time for reflection. As we gather to celebrate our blessings, we vividly recall, with both joy and remembrance, our beloved dog partners from across the community. I’m lifting you all up as well. Please know that we are all here for you should you need a helping hand or friend to talk to.

Hogan and I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season. As we highlighted during the Council’s spring quarterly call, “Learning About Where GEB Started to Guide Us into the Future,” Guiding Eyes is more than just a school – it is a close-knit family. So from my furry family to yours, happy holidays and a puptastic New Year!

We’d love to hear from you – please reach out anytime.

Pat and Hogan

Pat.r.leahy@gmail.com