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Wine, Music & Puppies will take place from 3 to 6 p.m., Oct. 6, at the nonprofit's headquarters and training center at 611 Granite Springs Road in Yorktown Heights.
The event will feature sommelier Amy Dixon and musician Blessing Offor, both Guiding Eyes for the Blind graduates, for a music concert and paired wine tasting experience.
Dixon is studying to be a Master of Wine, of which there are only 212 in the world – only a dozen of them women. She has traveled the vineyards of Portugal, Italy, France and Germany, now working alongside Elvis, her first guide dog from Guiding Eyes.
"Guiding Eyes for the Blind gave me my life back," Dixon said in a statement. "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."
Offor, a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, was born in Nigeria and came to the United States as a child to receive treatment for his glaucoma. He has since opened for such legends as The Temptations, Average White Band, Tower of Power and New Orleans blues legend Dr. John. A former contestant on Bravo's Platinum Hit, he has performed three times at the Kennedy Center and will release his new album, "Roots," in 2014. With Laramie, his second dog from Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Offor has again found a devoted companion and guide.
Wine, Music & Puppies begins with a campus tour followed by a wine reception with hors d’oeuvres and live music from The Norm Hathaway Band.
Tickets for Wine, Music & Puppies start at $60. Premium tickets are available for $125 and include a gift bag with a bottle of wine hand-selected by Dixon. Seating is limited and reservations are required by Sept. 30. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Erica Stanzione at 914-243-2238 or estanzione@guidingeyes.org.
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