“A number of years ago, I was caught in a devastating fire in my apartment building in Toronto. Two-thirds of my body was badly burned, and I lost both of my arms. After a year in the hospital, I found adjusting to my new life very difficult. I was grieving and isolated. One of my support workers suggested I join a waiting list for a Dog Guide. And that’s how Siri — my superhero — came into my life. Siri enriches my life by alleviating the hardships of everyday tasks such as helping to retrieve dropped items, opening and closing doors, and enabling me to live independently. That’s why Siri and I joined the Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides a few years later. And why I invite you to join in this special event this year!” -Prince (Walkfordogguides.com photo)
A Martensville-based service club is hoping to bring a canine superhero to the rescue of a local family.
“We have one family in Martensville waiting for a hearing guide dog, and hopefully it happens very soon,” said Martensville and District Lions Club member Doug Ward. “Covid restrictions really slowed things down for a while, but we are back up and running now.”
Ward is Project Chairperson of the Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides event scheduled for Sunday, May 26 at the Lions Heritage Centre in Martensville.
The fundraiser, now in its 10th year, is sponsored jointly by the Martensville and District Lions Club and the Saskatoon Lions Club. (Details are online at walkfordogguides.com.)
Funds raised at the walk, which is open to all dog owners (or people who can borrow a dog for the day), go to the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides program. The program trains dogs in seven specialized areas, including:
* Vision: to assist people who are blind or visually impaired;
* Service: to assist people who have a physical or medical disability;
* Autism Assistance: to help children on the autism spectrum by providing safety, companionship and unconditional love;
* Hearing: assist people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and who are unable to detect important sounds;
* Seizure Response: assist people diagnosed with intractable epilepsy;
* Diabetes Alert: assist people with Type 1 Diabetes with hypoglycemic unawareness;
* Facility Support: assist professional agencies working with vulnerable people who have experienced trauma.
The Martensville event is one of many Walk for Dog Guides fundraisers happening across Canada during May.
Ward said the Martensville club is proud of the work it’s done in the past to bring dog guides here to assist area families.
“Our club is very excited to host this event to raise funds to help support the training of life-changing dogs for Canadians that need them,” said Ward. “The Dog Guides are trained to assist Canadians with medical or physical disabilities and are provided to them at no cost.”
While the families and individuals that receive the dogs do not have to pay, the training of the dogs is an expensive undertaking for the Lions Foundation.
“It costs approximately $35,000 per dog,” said Ward, adding the Lions Foundation is currently fundraising to build a better and larger training facility to meet the ongoing demand for new dog guides.
Ward said the Martensville walk begins at the Lions Heritage Centre, which features a recently-constructed Abilities Playground that is accessible for children with disabilities.
The walk, scheduled for the early afternoon, features door prizes, raffle items and a barbecue starting immediately after the walk.
People interested in participating in the Martensville walk can register by going online to walkforguidedogs.com or by phoning Doug Ward at 306-491-8914.