Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation Named Official Charity of 2013 ING Hartford Marathon; Seeking Runners for Team Fidelco

Hartford, CT, July 29, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Connecticut’s own and New England’s only guide dog school, has been named an Official Charity of the 2013 ING Hartford Marathon. The Connecticut non-profit is seeking runners and volunteers to Share the Vision® and join Team Fidelco on Saturday, October 12th for the twentieth running of Connecticut’s premiere athletic event. Team Fidelco runners can choose their own distance: 5K, half marathon, full marathon, marathon relay or children’s race.

For more than half a century, Connecticut’s Fidelco German Shepherd Guide Dogs have been life-changing and life-saving partners to men and women who are blind across North America, including our nation’s blinded military heroes. It takes two years, 15,000 hands-on hours and $45,000 to produce and maintain one Fidelco Guide Dog, and Fidelco provides them at no cost to the clients they serve. To carry out this mission, Fidelco relies on the generosity of its individual and corporate donors and more than 350 volunteers.

Anyone who is officially registered to run the ING Hartford Marathon, Team Relay, Half Marathon, 5K or Kids K can join Team Fidelco by visiting teamfidelco.kintera.org to register and set up a personal fundraising page. Team Fidelco runners will receive a team t-shirt or singlet and Race Day refreshments and bag storage at Fidelco’s tent in Bushnell Park.

Volunteers are also needed for the Pre-Race Expo on October 10th at the XL Center in downtown Hartford. Volunteers will receive a custom ING Hartford long sleeved shirt. For more information, contact Heidi Voight at hvoight@fidelco.org or 860-243-4800.

About Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation
Fidelco is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in Bloomfield, CT, that breeds, trains and places its own, unique “breed within a breed” of German Shepherd Guide Dogs with men and women who are blind. Each Fidelco Guide Dog costs $45,000 and takes two years to produce. They are given to clients at no cost. Fidelco provides 24/7 client support for the entire working life of its guide dogs – typically 10+ years. Fidelco relies solely on the generosity and financial support of individuals, foundations, corporations and civic organizations to help Share the Vision®.

Fidelco has placed over 1,300 German Shepherd Guide Dogs throughout North America – in 41 states and five Canadian provinces. Fidelco pioneered “In-Community placement” in the United States — a process that allows guide dog users to be trained in the communities where they live and work. Fidelco has also placed hundreds of its German Shepherd Dogs with law enforcement agencies; first responders; search and rescue; and missing child recovery organizations to help protect our fellow citizens and keep them safe. For more information, please visit www.fidelco.org or “like” us on Facebook at facebook.com/fidelcoguidedog
Contact
Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation
Heidi Voight
860-243-4800
www.fidelco.org
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