The Lions Club will be hosting a Community Service Information Meeting at the Captain's Hall on March 14 at 7:00 p.m. and anyone interested in learning more about the Lions Club is encouraged to attend. Individuals who are interested in volunteering and who enjoy fun and fellowship can do all of these things and more as Lions club members. One could plan a local project to protect the environment, recycle eyeglasses or sponsor a Dog Guide to help someone gain independence. One has limitless choices for sharing, caring and making a difference.
Lions is a volunteer organization with 13.5 million members across 208 countries.
During the flood in June 2011, the Weyburn and Estevan Lions Clubs received $10,000 in emergency funds to help flood victims in Weyburn, Estevan and Roche Perce with food, water, cleaning supplies and emergency clothing/personal supplies.
Lions Foundation of Canada was founded in the early 1980s and its founding program, Canine Vision Canada, was established in 1985. The Foundation provides Dog Guides to Canadians for free. In fact, last year, 156 Dog Guides were given out to Canadians with disabilities. While some Dog Guides are trained to be the eyes or ears for their owners, others are trained to be assistants for families with autistic children or are trained with special skills for people with a medical or physical disability. Some of the dogs are even trained for seizure response for people with epilepsy.
Each Dog Guide costs about $20,000 to raise, care for and train. The recipients of Dog Guides are sent to attend the Dog Guide School in Oakville, Ontario, where they are given room and board and only pay incidental costs such as personal items. Recipients must agree to care for the dog and look after medical and food costs.
Before travelling from her home in Indian Head, Saskatchewan to the Dog Guide School in Oakville to participate in the Seizure Response program, a woman named Shaylene carefully weighed all of her options regarding assistance with her epilepsy. After graduating the three-week training program, Shaylene knew that she had made the best possible choice. Her Seizure Response Dog Guide Marley has given her back the confidence that had slipped away after her diagnosis.
"I now live independently in my own house with my son, which is something that I couldn't do before I had Marley," she said. "He's given me my whole life back, I'm no longer scared to do the simplest things like climbing the stairs."
A young man in the Carlyle area also received a Vision Dog Guide to give him the ability to move about the community on his own.
Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides has a number of programs to help caring individuals find the best way to contribute to the cause of providing Dog Guides at no cost to Canadians with disabilities. Anyone wanting to make a donation should call 1-800-768-3030. For more information about the local Lions Club, contact Audrey Swanson at 842-6141.
