By Gina Horan
Therapy Dog Volunteer Sally Guggino Brings Comfort Across Lake County
For twenty years, Sally Guggino has been a volunteer with Paws for Therapy and along with her most recent partner, Merlin, she brings comfort and joy to countless people in hospitals, nursing homes, and community events across Lake County.
Merlin is a rescue dog with a gentle demeanor and is Sally’s third therapy dog. Together, they have been a team for seven years, offering warmth and companionship to those who need it most.
“When you have a therapy dog you become a team and you are very attached to each other,” she said. “When a dog can make a person open up and feel good and smile, it’s worth everything.”
Each month, Sally and Merlin make their rounds at Madison at Clermont, an assisted living facility where residents eagerly await their visits.
“We’ve had dogs all our lives, and we just love them,” said resident Gerald Kole. “To see them come in here and see the brightness in people’s eyes is comforting.”
Mark Wright Ahern, the lifestyle director at Madison at Clermont, has seen firsthand the impact of these visits.
“Sally takes her time with the residents, making sure they feel seen and cared for,” he said. “She and Merlin aren’t just visitors, they’re part of this community and it’s priceless.”
Sally’s work isn’t limited to assisted living facilities. She makes about five visits a week, stopping at schools, community festivals, and libraries, where children practice reading to therapy dogs.
She wants everyone to experience the joy and healing a dog can bring.
“Sally makes people feel at ease, whether it’s in a hospital, a nursing home, or with children,” said Jackie Kelly, a fellow Paws for Therapy volunteer who nominated Sally as a WESH 2 CommUNITY Champion.
For someone so dedicated to giving, the recognition caught her off guard.
“I’m 77 years old. This has never happened to me before so, this is unreal,” she said. “This means so much to me but honestly, the real reward is when someone looks at you and says, ‘We appreciate what you do.’ That’s all we need.”
Sally shows no signs of slowing down. As long as there are people who need a little extra love, she and Merlin will be there, offering comfort—one paw at a time.
Gina moved to Central Florida in August 2021 from the San Francisco Bay Area. She has a degree in linguistics and worked as a fashion editor, photo stylist lifestyle columnist and food writer for the Knight Ridder Newspaper Group. She also covered and photographed music festivals, fashion shows and sports throughout Northern California. In 2000, she joined KSAN radio as a morning show co-host and produced the news and sports content there for four years. She later covered travel, events and the restaurant scene for KRON-Bay TV. A veteran bartender, Gina has worked in hospitality on and off since high school. She has been with Akers Media since 2022 and hosts the Healthy Living Central Florida podcast. Her passions include travel, road trips, baseball, history books and podcasts, tasting menus and arriving in a new city without a map or guidebook.
