SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. (WNCN) — Two blind teens recently had their lives changed forever in Southern Pines when they were each given a seeing-eye dog. The two guide dog recipients, 13-year-old Eli with his guide dog Maple and 15-year-old Shaelin with her guide dog Guirro, attended training school together in Canada last year. The dogs were officially handed over at Mira USA's recent "Mira on the Move: Guiding Lives, Changing Hearts" event held on March 7 in Southern Pines, NC. The event brought the humans and dogs back together again for good. The guide dogs are brothers, making this not only a reunion of friends but a family reunion for their canine companions as well. Andrea Bocelli coming to First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro Eli is from Colorado Springs, Colorado and Shaelin is from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. (Photo courtesy of Mira USA)(Photo courtesy of Mira USA)(Photo courtesy of Mira USA)(Photo courtesy of Mira USA)(Photo courtesy of Mira USA)(Photo courtesy of Mira USA)(Photo courtesy of Mira USA)(Photo courtesy of Mira USA)(Photo courtesy of Mira USA)(Photo courtesy of Mira USA)(Photo courtesy of Mira USA)(Photo courtesy of Mira USA)(Photo courtesy of Mira USA)(Photo courtesy of Mira USA)(Photo courtesy of Mira USA) Mira USA is based in Southern Pines, North Carolina and is the only organization in the United States that provides guide dogs to blind American children ages 11 through 17, completely free of charge. The presentation at the Southern Pines Train Station in early March included a brunch and ribbon-cutting ceremony and culminated in a guided walk through downtown Southern Pines led by the young recipients and their guide dogs. Mira also held their annual Mira-cles Happen Gala at the Country Club of North Carolina. If you would like to learn more and support Mira’s mission of providing guide dogs to blind children, visit their website. Mira USA accepts program applicants from any part of the contiguous United States and provides our guide dogs free of charge to eligible children. The dogs are provided and trained through Mira Canada, based in Montreal. ...read more read less