Join us to celebrate Canine Companions life-changing mission to provide greater independence to children, adults and veterans with disabilities through an expertly trained service dog.
Thursday, June 25, 2026
6 – 10 p.m. ET
Leonard's Palazzo Tiffany and Crystal room
555 Northern Blvd,
Great Neck, NY 11021
Event attendees will enjoy powerful stories from clients who have found greater independence with the help of their service dogs, meet future service dogs in training, bid on a curated selection of exciting items in our live and silent auctions, and enjoy cocktails and a plated dinner.
This event benefits Canine Companions and our mission to provide greater independence to children, adults and veterans with disabilities through the help of an expertly trained service dog, free of charge.
If you have any questions, please call Philanthropy Events Manager Alexis Gregos at 631-561-0207.
Honoring ‘Daler’, a Canine Companions service dog who eased a community’s grief.
Daler was an 8-week-old puppy when Farmingdale School Superintendent Paul Defendini became a Canine Companions volunteer puppy raiser…only three months after an unspeakable tragedy in the district. As she grew up, she joined other service dogs from Canine Companions coming to Farmingdale High School. They brought comfort to those traumatized by a Sept. 21, 2023, upstate bus crash that injured dozens of students and killed the school's long-time band director and a popular school chaperone.
"It was hard to get kids to talk and to start opening up about what they were feeling," Paul says. "But that all changed thanks to the service dogs visiting from Canine Companions! Within a week's time after the accident, we had music back in the band room."
Daler came to school each day with Paul, and became a fixture at local community events. The Farmingdale High School’s P.A.W.S. Club celebrated Daler’s birthday and helped raise nearly $6,000 for Canine Companions.
In November, Daler graduated and was matched with 3-time successor Lauren Hemmerly, who by coincidence, also works for a local school district. Lauren says Daler helps lead her down the stairs, keeps her from being trampled in a crowd or leading her to her car through a parking lot in a snowstorm. "You wonder, how did I ever manage life without you?," Lauren says about Daler.
We’re pleased to honor Daler at Sit. Stay. Sparkle! Northeast, and share the story of how a dog that helped ease a community’s grief, now assists Lauren in her everyday life. "Daler didn’t just walk the halls”, says Paul. “She truly changed us. It showed us service dogs are more than just helpers; they are life changers."
About Canine Companions
Canine Companions is leading the service dog industry so our clients and their dogs can live with greater independence. We provide service dogs to adults, children and veterans with disabilities and facility dogs to professionals working in healthcare, criminal justice and educational settings. Since our founding in 1975, our dogs and all follow-up services are provided at no cost to our clients.
