HOWARD AREA LIONS CLUB VISITS LEADER DOGS for the BLIND…
The richness of what life has to offer can be seen in the changing colors of the leaves, the blossoms of the flowers or the scamper of a woodland creature, that is, unless you’re visually impaired.
Twenty-two members and nineteen family members of the Howard Area Lions Club recently experienced a trip that many will never forget to the Leader Dogs for the Blind organization, in Rochester, Michigan.
Most people believe the old adage, “A man’s best friend is his dog.” For the visually impaired, however, Leader Dogs are more than friends; they’re partners. Leader Dogs provide increased mobility to legally blind persons.
Based in Rochester, Michigan, Leader Dogs are trained by the nonprofit organization and since their founding in 1939 have trained over 12,500 Leader Dogs. For over 60 years the generous donations of club members in every state have sponsored many Leader Dogs students ranging from 18 to 90+ in age. The 26day training session is completely free of charge. The school only requires its students be prepared, mentally and physically, to care for and use the dog in the intended manner.
The Leader Dogs for the Blind facility includes the Polk Residence and Training Center, kennels, Veterinary Hospital, a “Downtown Training Center”, Administration and Development personnel, the Accelerated Mobility Program and Kids N Coins fundraising program, plus vans/buses for transporting students and grounds maintenance equipment
It is a continual need to meet the increasing requests for Leader Dog training as some 40,000 men and women lose their sight each year. Most want to remain active on the job and in the community. Leader Dogs for the Blind is one of the largest producing schools of its kind in the world. The annual operating budget is near 9.5 million dollars.
Leader Dogs for the Blind in located on 14 acres at the corner of Rochester Road and Avon Road in Rochester, Michigan, 25 miles north of Detroit. Tours are available by appointment and office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 Am to 4:00 PM.
For more information on any of the Leader Dogs for the Blind programs, call Leader Dogs for the Blind at (248) 651-9011 TTY (248)651-3717, write Leader Dogs for the Blind P. O. Box 5000 Rochester, Michigan 48308-5000, email: leaderdog@leaderdog.org or visit their website at www.leaderdog.org
Call or write today for an appointment for more information on Leader Dogs for the Blind and see first hand why these members of the Lions International organization are such huge supporters.
