(From a press release) Virginia Lyman of Winchester has won a scholarship from the Guiding Eyes for the Blind organization.

Virginia has learned a great deal about dog handling and training methods through her volunteer work, and plans to carry those skills into her future career as a veterinarian. She has also become closer to her mom through shared classes and dog outings, and has developed into a strong public speaker who helps spread the word about Guiding Eyes.

"I ask myself, why am I still doing this?" she said. "When I look at my pups working with their blind partners, I know my answer."

Virginia was thrilled when two of her puppies, Savannah and Kylie, both graduated with blind companions as guides.

"Through the Puppy Raising program I have been able to meet many blind individuals with their working guides," she said. "I have learned more about blindness, and I have gained a greater appreciation for everything I have been blessed with in my own life."

To find out how you can raise a puppy that will become someone's Guiding Eyes, visit www.volunteer.guidingeyes.org or call 866-GEB-LABS.

Photo: Virginia Lyman and Koi