Members of the Emo and District Lions Club and the community took part in the annual Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides of Canada last Sunday, raising $2,245 for the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides.
Even though the weather was overcast and chilly, it could not hold back the bright and warm spirit from the participants most of all the dogs.
The 23 walkers and 15 dogs enjoyed a fun afternoon filled with lots of smiles, barking, and pit stops checking out every tree along the way. The walk started from the Emo Fairgrounds, continuing down along the riverside at Lions Park and returning back up to the fairgrounds.
When it was announced all the members hard work of raising $2,245 was triple the amount the Emo and District Lions Club had raised from the previous year. The mood was contagious with a strong sense of community and pride.
It was not difficult to spot “Team Marr” who wore red T-shirts which gave special thanks recognizing everyone who donated and helped support their team. The Walk for Dog Guides holds a special spot in the hearts of “Team Marr” who raised the most money in donations–$700.
The event showcased the strength of a community which rallies behind an initiative to support every member of its community.
Walk for Dog Guides is held in some 300 communities across Canada to raise funds to provide training for dog guides and partner them with Canadians with disabilities.
The Lions Clubs of Canada’s original mission was to start a foundation to provide guide dogs to assist Canadians with medical or physical disabilities at no cost. It has since grown to help many other Canadian dealing with specific health needs.
The goal of the dog guides program is to help Canadians with disabilities improve their safety, mobility, and help find their independence.
All of the foundations support comes from volunteers which include breeders, foster families who raise puppies, and trainers.
The process can take up to two years to fully train a dog guide and cost $25,000.
The Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides is a non-profit organization and does not receive funding from the government.
Each dog guide is trained to meet their future handlers’ specific needs. A dog guide can help people with vision impairments, hearing, seizure response, diabetic alert, autism assistance, and support in traumatic situations.
In the final stage of the program, the recipient and dog guide live together at the training facility for two to four weeks in Oakville, Ont., where the new handler and dog guide work towards building a lifelong partnership.
