Guide Dogs of the Desert Holds 10th Annual “Dog Day Afternoon”

Guests peruse the auction items at the "Dog Day Afternoon" luncheon at Smoke Tree Ranch in Palm Springs.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAT KRAUSE

This year’s sold-out Tenth Annual “Dog Day Afternoon,” gave guests a chance to enjoy an abundant luncheon buffet, silent auction, Blindfold Walk, and numerous opportunity drawings April 2 at the historic Smoke Tree Ranch in Palm Springs.

Guide Dogs of the Desert provides, at no cost, custom-trained guide dogs for the blind and those with special needs, in order to provide safe mobility, loving companionship, and the “miracle of independence.”

Guide Dog’s service dogs were on hand at the event, including five 8-week-old black poodle puppies destined to be enrolled in the program.

“We are truly blessed and grateful for Yvonne and Steven Maloney’s advocacy and generous support of Guide Dogs of the Desert,” says Sarah G. Clapp, executive director of Guide Dogs. “Their hosting ‘Dog Day Afternoon’ for 10 years enables Guide Dogs of the Desert to have more quality dogs for the training program.”

As guests enjoyed the buffet, Nick Terrones, director of training at Guide Dogs, gave a demonstration of how comprehensive and successful the organization’s training program is.

Event co-chairs Patrick Mundt and Tristan Milanovich welcomed the guests with gratitude extended to the Event Committee consisting of Renee Glickman, Peggy Greenbaum, Melissa Milanovich, Amy Phinny, and Ayn Turner, in addition to the Smoke Tree staff and Lisa Bell.

Melissa Milanovich shared the significance of her and her brother Reid naming one of the black poodle puppies they are sponsoring, “Lucky,” in memory of their father, Richard Milanovich.

Seen in the crowd were, Sarah and Richard Clapp, Betty Callies, members and guests of Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Palm Springs Mayor Robert Moon, Shellie Reade, Lori Serfling, Peggy Greenbaum, Carol Nash, Pamela Smallwood, Amy Phinny, Stephen Phinny, Sally Phinny, George Weyerhaeuser, Dorothy Meyerman, Anthony Purnel, Thomas Davis, Lindel Campbell, Nelda Linsk, Andrew Faas, Renee Glickman, Gloria Guttman, JoAnn Davis, Kay Hanson, Kevin and Joyce Foster, Gary Jeandron, and Tony and Dr. Christine Anderson.

Guide Dogs of the Desert
60740 Dillon Road
Whitewater, CA 92282
760-329-6257
guidedogsofthedesert.org

Guests enjoy the “Dog Day Afternoon” Luncheon at the historic Smoke Tree Ranch in Palm Springs.
Joann Davis and Guide Dogs of the Desert board member Ann Thornton.
Event Co-chair Patrick Mundt, Event Co-chair Tristan Milanovich, Sally Phinny, George Weyerhaeuser, Stephen Phinny, and Amy Phinny.
Palm Springs Mayor Robert Moon with Guide Dogs of the Desert board member Gary Jeandron.
Tony Anderson, Richard Clapp, Gary Jeandron, Dr. Christine Anderson, and Sarah G. Clapp, executive director of Guide Dogs of the Desert.
Event co-chair Patrick Mundt, Event co-chair Tristan Milanovich, (holding one of the 8-week-old Guide Dog puppies) Executive Director of Guide Dogs of the Desert Sarah G. Clapp, and Event host Yvonne Maloney.
Event Committee: Melissa Milanovich, Peggy Greenbaum, Amy Phinny, Renee Glickman, and Ayn Turner.
Joe accompanied by his guide dog, Cooper, with Yvonne and Steven Maloney, hosts of "Dog Day Afternoon.” The Maloneys sponsored Cooper.
Melissa Milanovich with 8-week-old Guide Dog black poodle puppy.
Shellie Reade holds a sleepy 8-week-old Guide Dog black poodle puppy.
Anthony Purnel, Betty Callies, Tom Davis, Sarah G. Clapp, executive director of Guide Dogs of the Desert, Reid Milanovich, Event Co-chair Tristan Milanovich, and Guide Dogs of the Desert board member Gary Jeandron.

Tenth Annual Guide Dogs of the Desert “Dog Day Afternoon”