RI Mission Moment
A Note from the RI Team
What a season it’s been at Retrieving Independence!
This fall has brought plenty of reasons to celebrate, from an unforgettable evening at Retrieving in the Round to new puppies, community connections, and opportunities to learn and grow as an organization. We’ve also had the chance to welcome new faces to our RI family and continue building relationships that make our work possible.
As we look back on the past few months, we’re reminded that this mission is about so much more than training dogs. It’s about the people, partnerships, and community that make greater independence possible. Thank you for being part of it all!
A Night to Remember: Retrieving in the Round
What an incredible evening!
Our 2026 Retrieving in the Round fundraiser brought together nearly 200 guests for a night of live music, great food, meaningful stories, and a shared commitment to changing lives through service dogs.
Thanks to the generosity of everyone who joined us, we raised just over $100,000 to support our mission! A particularly meaningful part of that impact came through our paddle raise, which alone brought in $58,765 to help make future service dog placements possible.
From the personal stories shared on stage to the incredible musical performances, the evening was filled with moments that made it truly special. We’re grateful to everyone who helped create such a memorable night and bring our community together in support of our mission.
A special thank-you to our presenting sponsor, Bridgestone, and to Raising Cane’s, who went above and beyond in helping make the evening special. We’re equally grateful to every sponsor, auction donor, volunteer, performer, and guest who helped bring this event to life.
We also owe a huge thank-you to our event committee and the many volunteers who gave their time and energy to make the evening possible. An especially heartfelt thank-you to Susan Plantz for her tremendous work and dedication behind the scenes. So much goes into bringing an event like this together, and we couldn’t have done it without you!
It was a beautiful night, and we’re already looking forward to the next one! Thank you for supporting Retrieving Independence.
Making Connections: Belmont & HCA
We love opportunities to introduce more people to the work happening at RI, and this fall brought two special opportunities to do just that.
Jossie and Pumpkin joined us at Belmont University’s Student Connections Fair, where we had the chance to connect with students, share more about our mission, and introduce new faces to the world of service dogs. Whether it’s through volunteering, puppy raising, or simply spreading the word, we’re always excited to see new people take an interest in our work.
We also enjoyed a special puppy visit with the team at HCA Healthcare. We’re grateful for their hospitality and for their generous donation in support of Retrieving Independence. It’s always a treat to share a little puppy joy while building connections with our community!
Learning & Growing: ADI Leadership Summit & Breeding Workshop
One of the most important parts of growing as an organization is continuing to learn from others in the service dog community.
This fall, Lauren Dougall and Kelsey Fernandez attended the Assistance Dogs International (ADI) Leadership Summit, followed by Kelsey’s participation in an additional ADI Breeding Workshop.
Both experiences offered valuable opportunities to connect with fellow organizations, exchange ideas, and bring home fresh perspectives. From leadership and organizational development to the future of our breeding program, we’re always looking for ways to strengthen our work and better serve the people who depend on it.
We’re grateful for opportunities like these that help us keep learning, improving, and moving our mission forward.
Growing Together: Welcoming Reid Creviston
We’re excited to welcome Reid Creviston to the Retrieving Independence Board of Directors! Reid joined us in September and brings a valuable combination of professional experience and personal perspective.
Reid is a People Partner at Phillips Healthcare, a former service dog handler, and lives with a vision disability. His firsthand experience with service dogs, along with his personal perspective, brings an important voice to our board as we continue working to make our programs and services more accessible and responsive to the people we serve.
We’re grateful to have Reid’s insight, experience, and commitment as part of the team guiding RI into its next chapter. Welcome, Reid!
Puppy Updates: Meet Jossie & Freddy
There are two new faces making themselves right at home around RI!
Meet Jossie and Freddy, our newest puppies. At just over four months old, these two are cute, spunky, and already well underway in their service dog training journeys.
Every puppy brings something different to the table, and we can’t wait to see how these two continue to learn, grow, and develop their own personalities along the way.
Stay tuned for more updates as Jossie and Freddy make their way through training!
Looking Ahead: Graduation & Retrieving on the Ridge
There’s still plenty to look forward to as we head into the end of the year!
Our next Client Camp begins Saturday, November 7, bringing together our newest graduating teams for a week of learning, practice, and preparation for life together. We’ll celebrate their hard work and accomplishments at our public graduation ceremony:
Saturday, November 14, 2026 | 11:00 AM
Honey Alexander Center
2400 Clifton Avenue, Nashville, TN
We’re also excited to announce that Retrieving on the Ridge is officially returning on May 15, 2027! After a wonderful inaugural year, we’re looking forward to bringing our RI community back together for another morning of running, walking, and supporting future service dog teams. More details are coming soon!
Save the Date: November 30 & December 1!
Mark your calendars for the end of this month, when Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday arrive together!
Looking for a way to support RI this holiday season? On Cyber Monday, shop our wishlists to help stock up on the supplies our dogs and programs need. Then, join us for Giving Tuesday by making a donation to help support the training and placement of future service dog teams.
Whether you shop our wishlists or make a gift, every bit of support makes a difference!
Join Us for a Predators Game!
We’ve got an exciting night of hockey coming up! Retrieving Independence has been selected as a beneficiary of a Nashville Predators ticket fundraiser, and we’d love to see our community come out and support us.
Join us on Saturday, January 23, 2027, at 4:00 PM as the Predators take on the LA Kings. When you purchase tickets through our special RI link, a portion of each sale supports our mission.
Our goal is to sell 25 tickets so we can bring RI to the game for a special table visit, complete with a few of our pups!
We hope you’ll join us for a fun afternoon of hockey and help spread the word about Retrieving Independence!
Thank You
As another season comes to a close, we’re incredibly grateful for the people who continue to show up for Retrieving Independence.
Whether you volunteer your time, raise a puppy, support an event, make a donation, or share our mission with someone new, you are part of what makes this work possible.
Every step forward is made possible by a community that believes in love, dignity, and change. Thank you for being part of ours.