Canine Partners For Life (CPL) trains and places assistance dogs with individuals with mobility impairments. CPL has several types of assistance dogs in its program including service dogs, seizure alert dogs, home companions and residential (community) companions. CPL recipients come from all walks of life and have a wide variety of disabilities. The one thing they all have in common is a drive to become more independent and a commitment to do what is necessary to have an assistance dog in their Introducing Brandi & Sandy the Labradoodle A bit about us, I was injured in a car accident and had heart surgery to repair my aorta. This surgery saved my life but left me in a wheelchair. I have a low spinal cord injury, I can't walk. I was injured when I was 16 and not sure what life was going to hold for me next. I had to give up riding horses, I just couldn't do it any more. I finished school and went to college. My first few weeks at school I had another accident and lost my car, and couldn't get around campus. The school was not helpful in accommodating my needs and I was so alone. It was at this point I really began to think about a dog. I didn't want one at first, I thought I wasn't disabled enough and didn't want to worry about someone else. However, I was really alone and couldn't seem to get on with my life- everything was focused on me and my disability. I applied for a dog with Canine Partners for Life. I was a bit surprised when they asked me to come and interview, I wasn't sure I would qualify for a dog. It was a cool crisp morning when I drove with my Mom to Pennsylvania to meet Sandy, a labradoodle. CPL told me if I wanted to get the dog, the one they would place me with just happened to be the craziest dog in the kennel, yes she was nuts. Great. They brought this crazy looking dog to me who laid at my feet with her head on my toes and looked at me. She reminded me so much of my first horse Angel who had the same crazy blonde hair and wild loving eyes. I said I wanted her. We graduated in November of 97 and have been doing anything and everything we want since then. Sandy did what no one else could, she took the attention off my disability and made me feel like a person again. Since I got Sandy and have had to keep up with her I have become a certified scuba diver, skier instructor with Challenged Athletes of West Virginia , bike, rafter, sky diver and whatever else I can think to do to be busy. We love to travel and see new places. Sandy is such a little ball of energy and so willing to do anything. I have taken this dog to Disney World with me and on the rides, she loved it. Together we went white water rafting with Challenged Athletes of West Virginia and she was as happy as she could be, then the kayaking when she really didn't think it was a good idea for me to roll the kayak and brought me my wheelchair. She drug it from shore into the water and to me. How could I be upset with her? The work Sandy does for me varies. The biggest thing she does is keep my hands free. She loves to carry packages and my briefcase. My employer, Flippo Construction Company says she is the best employee and brightens everyone's day. It is very upsetting for her if I don't give her something to carry, it's her job. She helps me at the gym move things around and stack and unstack steps I use when working out. Sandy also loves to pick things up. She never got the laser pointer. I think she wasn't interested because she couldn't pick up the light, so I had to teach her words. When we are at work she knows people and will take things to them for me. She also knows where things I may need are and will get them for me. Sandy knows how to open doors but since she is a small labradoodle I usually do it. She also pays cashiers, flips light switches, and retrieves my chair. I wasn't sure I wanted a dog but now that I have one I never want to be without. Sandy is very special and we match each other well. We are both high energy and crazy, always busy. Each service dog trained and placed by Canine Partners For Life is valued at $18,000! Yet each recipient is only asked to make a small donation to Canine Partners For Life to help defray costs associated with the harness each service dog is equipped with. As you can see the balance of the funds necessary to train and place these wonderful helpers comes from individuals, foundations, associations and a few corporations. Canine Partners For Life does NOT receive any financial support from health insurance companies, state or federal government programs and grants. To help CPL accomplish their mission visit the website at https://www.k94life.org/ Canine Partners For Life P.O. Box 170 Cochranville, PA 19330-0170 Phone: 610-869-4902 - Fax: 610-869-9785 Email: info@k94life.org