Wine and Puppies at Guiding Eyes

By Brian Marschhauser
Of Yorktown News

Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a national guide dog school based in Yorktown, hosted its fourth annual wine tasting benefit over the weekend at its headquarters and training center off Granite Springs Road.

The Oct. 6 event was organized by Amy Dixon, the self-labeled “Blind Somalier.” A Certified Wine Specialist, Dixon is studying to become a Master of Wine, of which there are only 212 in the world. She has traveled the vineyards of Portugal, Italy, France and Germany, and is now working alongside Elvis, her first guide dog from the nonprofit organization.

“I was looking for a way to give back to Guiding Eyes,” Dixon said. “I mean, they gave me a $50,000 dog for free. So I thought this was the best way to raise money.”

The event, called Wine, Music and Puppies, began with campus tours followed by a sparkling wine reception with hors d’oeuvres and live music from The Norm Hathaway Band. That was followed by a guided wine tasting and music performance from R /soul singer Blessing Offor.

“Guiding Eyes for the Blind gave me my life back,” Dixon said. “Elvis has opened many doors for me that I couldn’t have passed through otherwise, both literally and figuratively. The school is the single most important thing in my life—it’s my lifeline.”

The theme of the program was “Roots,” which carries a double meaning. Dixon brought those in attendance back to the roots of wine by covering the noble grapes. The title was also inspired by Offor’s upcoming album of the same name.