Have You Ever Wondered If What We Do Makes A Difference?

     I recently had the opportunity to hear and read about how and what Lion’s do can affect the lives of so many, in ways you and I never would have thought of.  I was attending District O’s Convention, and we had the pleasure of listening to a presentation from Canine Companion’s and Guide Dogs for the Blind. These are amazing organizations that train dogs for the blind but also for other disabled needs. The handlers train their dogs in a variety of ways for all the interactions that they will come across and succeed in, to be that ‘top dog’.  Some dogs don’t always reach the ultimate high mark to go on and guide or aid a need we humans may have, but they always have a place in the system to utilize their talents.

     But what really caught my attention was the telling of a true-life story of a dog (companion) that was trained out of the San Rafael Guide Dogs for the Blind location in California. The base that the dogs which come to Oregon are from. The receiver of funds our clubs donate to when we choose to donate to them. My club or your club may have had a financial part in the training of a dog that was in the World Trade Center Tower #1 when it was flown into on 9/11.

     The handler of this certain dog was employed in the tower when the jet was intentionally flown into the building. It is a remarkable story of a calm handler, his well-trained companion and an outcome of that horrific morning. I encourage you to read this book, ‘Thunder Dog – A True Story …’,  you will enjoy it from start to finish.

     Then when requests come before your club, for whatever purpose it may be, take time to think just how it could benefit folks down the road. We don’t always know the results of our generosity … as witnessed in the aforementioned book … but we do know that nobody benefits when we don’t.  WE SERVE … so we can help, in many unknown ways.

‘Be Instrumental in Service’

DG Pete Runnels