On Saturday, June 11, NEADS hosted a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to celebrate the completion and opening of its new, state-of-the-art Breeding Center. “The opening of our Breeding Center is a watershed moment for NEADS,” says CEO Gerry DeRoche. “We are now able to breed, raise, train, and match our own World Class Service Dogs.”
NEADS was honored to have Assistant House Minority Leader MA Representative Kim Ferguson, MA Senator Anne Gobi, and former MA Attorney General Martha Coakley along with Tracey Stoll and NEADS Assistance Dog Gleason share their reflections on the occasion. MA Representative Megan Kilcoyne joined Senator Gobi and Representative Ferguson to present proclamations from the Massachusetts House and Senate congratulating us on this milestone.
Thank You to Our Lead Donors, Larry and Nanine Costa
NEADS is deeply grateful to Larry and Nanine Costa for their leadership gift in support of the Breeding Center. The Costas’ philanthropy has made a transformative impact at NEADS.
The Costas’ relationship with NEADS came about through the couple’s friendship with CEO Gerry DeRoche and his wife, Kathie. They bonded over their mutual love of Labrador retrievers, Nanine explains. The Costas are devoted to the breed and deeply committed to the lifelong training of their own beloved dogs (all labs!). As they become supporters, they learned more about NEADS. Nanine and Larry got to know some NEADS clients and understand what a World Class Service Dog can do to transform a life. “We saw how having a Service Dog can be life-changing, and we wanted to help,” Nanine says simply.
The Costas have been supportive of NEADS in many other ways and have enthusiastically taken on the role of presenting sponsor of our annual fundraising event, Get. Dressed. Give Back. When the opportunity to help with the Breeding Center arose, “we had to get that building built,” says Nanine.
Thanks in part to the Costas’ philanthropy, that building is now a reality, and it will help NEADS change lives for generations to come.
Thanks to our event partner, Wachusett Brewing Company, for providing the beer tasting at lunch as well as the custom glasses. Thanks also to our very talented photographers for capturing the highlights of very special day: AJ Direnzo, Richard Prager, and Stony Brook Camera Club volunteers Tony Mistretta and Stephanie Sioras.
