PALMETTO, Fla. — Workers at Southeastern Guide Dogs in Palmetto are honoring one of their volunteers who passed away last fall.

What You Need To Know

  •  Workers at Southeastern Guide Dogs are honoring one of their volunteers who passed away by trying to raise $4,000 to name a puppy after her

  •  The workers will be remembering the volunteer through one of her favorite walk-a-thons

  • The goal this year is for the organization to raise $1 million dollars through their walkathons

Caring for dogs is not just a job for Alyssa Daly-LaBelle, it’s been a passion of hers since fostering dogs in college.

“I love working with the dogs and the people,” she said.

She has worked at Southeastern Guide Dogs in Palmetto for the past 5 years and is now a breeder liaison at the nonprofit.

“I get to watch the mom have the puppies, then two years later, get to work with the puppies to become guidance service dogs. It’s incredible,” she said.

Helping the dogs is only part of her job — the other half is working with the families that foster the breeding dogs.

“They make it possible so our breeder dogs don’t have to live in kennels the entire time,” Daly-LaBelle said.

Breeder hosts take care of the pregnant dogs at their home and will take the dog back for checkups and for the birth. Then, those puppies will be trained to be service dogs for veterans, people who are visually impaired, or kids. The breeder has the option to adopt the dog when its breeding life is complete.

Alyssa says they have 60 host breeding families, but recently one of their long-time volunteers passed away.

“Cathy was a really intricate part of our community,” she said.

Catherine Van Velzen passed away last fall. She was a foster dog mom to a golden retriever named Watson.

Catherine had a close relationship with Nicole Potter, the two of them worked together for almost a decade.

“We got really close,” Nicole said.

Nicole said Catherine was suddenly diagnosed with cancer and just weeks later, she was in hospice and passed away.

“She still came and she never let any of us know she wasn’t feeling well or anything,” she said. “She was really here to provide support and ultimately change someone’s life forever.”

The two are honoring Catherine this weekend at the walk-a-thon fundraiser an event Catherine loved.

Nicole and Alyssa are hoping to raise $4,000 to name one of the puppies after her. 

“Her whole life was built around giving back to people and we really want to be able to give back to her,” Nicole said.

Catherine’s dog Watson found her forever home with Catherine’s close friends.

The goal this year is for the organization to raise $1 million dollars through their walkathons.