Toronto Residents are Walking in the Harboufront Purina® Walk for Dog Guides to Help Canadians with Disabilities
(Oakville, ON) On May 27, 2012 residents of Toronto are participating in the Harbourfront Purina® Walk for Dog Guides to help provide Dog Guides to people with disabilities. The Harbourfront Walk is taking place at the PawsWay Pet Discovery Centre (245 Queens Quay West) with registration opening at 10 a.m. and the Walk starting at 11 a.m.
Organized by local volunteers, the Harbourfront Purina® Walk for Dog Guides is truly a grassroots event. It provides community members with a fun and meaningful way to positively impact the lives of those living with disabilities locally. The Harbourfront Walk is one of 250 Walks taking place across the country this spring.
Special Skills Dog Guide graduate and Toronto resident, Bill Howe is one of 1,700 Canadians who has received a Dog Guide at no cost because of the dedication of Walk participants and donors nationally. “Words cannot describe how grateful I am to have received such an incredible, life-changing gift. I am participating in the Harbourfront Walk this year because I want to make sure that other Canadians get to experience the kind of new found freedom my Dog Guide Angus has provided me,” says Bill.
One hundred per cent of the funds raised from the event go directly towards the five Dog Guide training programs at Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides: Canine Vision, Hearing Ear, Special Skills, Seizure Response, and Autism Assistance.
Thanks to generous donations from various community sponsors, such as Longo’s, Medieval Times and Steam Whistle Brewing, Walk participants will have the opportunity to win some incredible prizes.
“Longo’s is happy to be a repeat supporter of the Purina Walk for Dog Guides,” said Roseanne Longo, Chair, Longo’s Family Charitable Foundation. “Our mission is to Inspire Healthy Families and we are proud to be able to help our communities with such an important initiative that can change and improve someone’s life.”
To find out how you can get involved, visit www.purinawalkfordogguides.com.
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Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides
Each Dog Guide costs approximately $20,000 to raise and train. Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides does not receive any government funding yet all Dog Guides are provided at no cost. The Lions Foundation of Canada trains five types of Dog Guides - Canine Vision Dog Guides, providing assistance to people who are blind or visually impaired; Hearing Ear Dog Guides, for people who are deaf or hard of hearing; Special Skills Dog Guides, providing assistance to Canadians with physical disabilities; Seizure Response Dog Guides, helping Canadians with epilepsy; and Autism Assistance Dog Guides, helping children with autism. These Dog Guides have the ability to make a difference in the lives of Canadians with disabilities.
Nestlé Purina PetCare
Nestlé Purina PetCare is a leading pet care company and global manufacturer of quality and nutritious pet food brands such as PRO PLAN, PURINA ONE, Dog Chow®, ALPO, BENEFUL, BEGGIN’ STRIPS, T-BONZ, CAT CHOW, FRISKIES, FANCY FEAST, LUV, and cat litter brands MAXX and KITTY LITTER. The promise, “Your Pet, Our Passion”, and the creation of the PAWSWAY Pet Discovery Centre, the permanent home of the PURINA ANIMAL HALL OF FAME, reflects Purina’s commitment to pets and promoting responsible pet care. Purina is the proud sponsor of The Purina National and Lions Foundation of Canada’s PURINA WALK FOR DOG GUIDES. For more information about Nestlé Purina PetCare Canada please visit www.purina.ca.
Media Contacts:
Natalie Moncur
Communications Manager
Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides
nmoncur@dogguides.com
(905) 842-2891 Ext. 298
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