Yorktown's 'Guiding Eyes' to Cheer on Eli Manning

Thousands of football fans around the country will be cheering for their favorite team at the Super Bowl on Sunday, when the New England Patriots and the New York Giants face off once more in four years.

While we don't have a crystal ball to predict who will win the match up, one thing is certain.  guide dog school in Yorktown, will be cheering for the New York Giants and its quarterback Eli Manning. 

"We are so excited that Eli and the Giants are headed to the Super Bowl," said Michelle Brier, events and marketing manager for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. "Eli has certainly been a champion for Guiding Eyes, and we look forward to seeing him lead the Giants to another Super Bowl championship."

Manning has been for five years in a row now to help raise money for Guiding Eyes for the Blind during their annual golf tournaments. Family friend Patrick Browne, Jr., a top rated player for the United States Blind Golf Association, introduced the football player to the local organization. 

The Manning and the Browne families are friends in their hometown of New Orleans, and their boys learned to play golf together, Brier said. 2012 will be the sixth year the Giants quarterback hosts the Guiding Eyes Golf Classic, which will be held on June 11 at Mount Kisco and Fairview Country Clubs.

"Eli visits golfers at both courses, and attends the cocktail reception and dinner," Brier said and added that the annual fundraiser, The Golf Classic, broke a record last year of raising more than $650,000 for the organization's programs and services.

While Guiding Eyes staff, graduates, volunteers, and supporters live all over the country, all of them will be cheering on the Giants come Sunday.

"We are forever grateful for Eli's dedication to our organization's mission," Brier said.

Guiding Eyes for the Blind provides assistance to the blind and visually impaired. Programs also include , which provides trained dogs to children with autism. The foundation is headquartered in Yorktown Heights and can be reached at (914) 245-4024.

For more information about Guiding Eyes or the Golf Classic, click here. 

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