Feature Article September 19, 2001
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LOL Lions raise $1000 for dog guidesby Will CybulskiThe Lions Foundation of Canada, a charitable foundation created by Lions Clubs of Canada, has a mission to provide mobility, safety, and independence to Canadians with visual, auditory, medical and physical disabilities. To meet that mission, the foundation has three dog guide programs in place: Canine Vision Canada, Hearing Ear Dogs of Canada, and Special Skills Dogs of Canada.The Land OLakes Lions Club donated $1,000 last year to that cause. At its first September dinner meeting, the club had a guest speaker who brought the message closer to home, and a significant amount of money was again raised for the program. Lisa Lemke of Kingston, daughter of Richard and Pam Lemke of Northbrook, is an outgoing, personable young lady who suffers from cerebral palsy. Although she must use a wheelchair, Lisa fiercely treasures the independence of living by herself and being part of the workforce, thanks to her friend and constant companion Zena, who is Lisas Special Skills dog. At the Lions meeting, Pam explained that Zena, who was provided through the foundation, has been with Lisa for about two years now, following a two-week orientation session in Oakville. Pam portrayed the golden retriever as a fantastically skilled animal. She is trained to operate a special distress notification machine on command; she opens doors, removes clothes from the dryer, carries the telephone and other household objects, and performs hundreds of everyday tasks that you and I take for granted. Zena is also trained not to bark unnecessarily, so that when she does, Lisas neighbours will realize she is in distress. Pam related that having Zena has allowed the family to put their feelings of uneasiness and concern for Lisas well-being to rest. The Special Skills dogs are the most expensive to provide, with a minimum of $10,000 required to sponsor such an animal. Dogs such as Zena go through a six-month training process, followed by a two-week rehearsal with their new owner. They are also trained to operate light switches, open appliances, and help their owner move from chair to bed or roll over. On Sunday, September 30, Lisa and Zena will be taking part in the 5 km fundraiser, Walk for Dog Guides, which starts at 1:30 p.m. from Zwicks Park in Belleville. Following Pams eye-opening and heartfelt presentation, which aptly demonstrated how the program can enrich the lives of people with disabilities, a challenge was issued to the local Lions to pledge support for Lisa in her walk. In a matter of minutes, the club had issued a cheque for $750, while another $250 in cash was raised from those in attendance. The same challenge goes out to other surrounding Lions Clubs and members of the communities in this papers readership area. If you do not have a walker identified from your area, but wish to support the cause, you can do so by calling a pledge in to Pam or me at Land OLakes Community Services, 336-8934. Organizers of the walk are also seeking volunteers to help out. Further information can be obtained by calling 613-969-5196. You can also visit www.dogguides.com to view the foundations web site.Thank you, Land OLakes Lions Club. Your support for a hometown girl in a very worthy cause was much appreciated by Lisa and Zena.
