Walk for Dog Guides at Wasaga Beach

Collingwood has always been a favourite place of ours for a stay vacation.

Wasaga Beach - about twenty minute drive from Collingwood

We are here for a week of holiday to relax and to re charge.

We packed three bags of groceries, and an icebox of our home made frozen soups and vegetable juices.

The second day of our week long holiday was a Sunday. We got all dressed for  the 10 a.m. Sunday service but missed the turned off to Popular St located at the edge of the town which then sent us all the way to Wasaga Beach following Highway 26 . 

We came across a special event at Wasaga Beach

The beach was quiet with few people around as it was really too chilly to enjoy a walk on the sand.



Not far from the beach, we came across  a very special annual event.

Tents were set up for the Purina Walk for Dog Guides

There were a few blue tents set up with people and dogs milling around.

There were participants and their dogs taking part in the Walk for Dog Guides day organized by the Wasaga Beach Nancy Island Lions Club.

There were a few dogs participating in this event.

Manny, a Seizure Response Guide Dog

We met Manny, a service dog and his master, a child  about eleven/ twelve years old who used to have epileptic seizures.

After he received a special guide dog, he has not had any seizure episodes!

Daisy participated in the Walk for many years

We also met Daisy, a twelve year old dog which has participated in the Dog Walk event for many years. But now she is suffering from arthritis, therefore she has some equipment to aim her mobility.

Though Daisy was unable to participate, she wanted to be here and was very excited. 

Mary from the local Lions Club greeted us and we had a good chat about this very special event and the Lions Clubs' volunteer projects in the local area and across Canada.

Some of the Participants of the Wasaga Beach's Walk for Dog Guides

A police officer escorted the Walk participants

I always know that the Lions Clubs do good work for their communities. What I did not know were the special projects in which guide dogs were provided to Canadians with disabilities.

The cost of raising, training and placing each guide dog is around $25,000.00. But through the tireless continuous fundraising efforts and hard work of members of the Lions' Clubs, these guide dogs are provided to needy Canadians at no cost at all!

A service guide dog

I learned that of the Lions Club programs where there are six different types of guide dogs provided to Canadians with the following special needs:

1. Canine Vision dog Guides
2. Hearing Ear Dog Guides
3. Autism Assistance Dog Guides
4. Service Dog Guides
5. Seizure Response Dog Guides
6. Diabetic Alert Dog Guides

I got really excited when I learned about the guide dogs for children with autism as I am currently volunteering with an organization that serve autistic young people. I will definitely pass on this information to them so that their parents will be able to get some support to look after their children.

I sincerely hope that the Autism Assistance Dog Guides will be able to help to improve the behavior of the teenagers with whom I have come to know.

R.T.
Wasaga Beach
Ontario