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Wednesday December 13, 2000 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER B1 FOURTH LINE AUTO For A ll Your Car's Needs Drive Clean Emission Testing Government Safety Inspection Tune-Ups · Brakes ·Exhaust ·Cooling Systems CAA Approved Shop 559 Speers Road 842-3001 In Business in Oakville Since 1979 OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR O F TH E OAKVILLE WATERFRONT FESTIVAL Oakville Beaver Focus Editor: WILMA BLOKHUIS 845-3824 Ext: 250 Focus 4 N A TU R E S S O U R C E r io r a O a k v ille / W a te r fr o n t f e it t v a l R o r -E s s e n c e Special I I * 1 $1-1 9 9 Trafalgar Ridge Plaza 257*1655 H o rn : M o w -R llO -9 · Sat 1 M * S n a 11-4 G iving back Young graduate raises $12,000 By Wilma Blokhuis BEAVER FOCUS EDITOR A little 10-year girl, a recent recipient of a Lions Foundation Special Skills Dog, has given back in a big way. Meghan Hines of Etobicoke, who has congenital muscular dystrophy and is confined to wheelchair, spent two weeks at the Lions Foundation of Canada training facility in April, and left with a Quixote, a good-natured, two-year-old white standard poodle, as her special companion. The dog is trained to open doors, pick up things, turn on lights, and bark when Meghan needs assistance. He accompanies her to school and Girl Guides, and has gone boating with the little girl's family. "We made Quixote an honourary Girl Guide because he a boy," laughed Meghan, explaining he went with her to a Girl Guide camp. "He is with her 95% of the time," says her mother Jennifer Hines. "Quixote is giving Meghan a lot of independence." And, Meghan is responsible for Quixote, to make sure he's fed, brushed, sees the vet regularly and is let out to do his business, her mother said, adding Meghan receives help with these tasks. "It's her responsibili ty to tell us." So grateful is this little girl and her family that she expressed a wish to raise enough money to train a Special Skills Dog for another deserving recip ient. The cost of raising and training a Special Skills Dog, provided to the recipient at no charge, is $10,000. These dogs are matched with recipi ents who are physically disabled or medically at risk. At first, Meghan thought it might take her two years to achieve this goal, raising $5,000 a year. She talked to students at her school, all of her teach ers, visited neighbours, went to local merchants in Etobicoke, and sent let ters to friends via email. "My target was to raise $5,000 a year for two years," said Meghan at an Oakville Lions Club dinner held at the Lions Foundation on Thursday, "but we were able to raise, over $12,000 from 150 people and 10 companies." "Not one person said no to her," said Jennifer, adding she and Meghan's father Gordon Hines and her big sister Christine, 16, also pitched in soliciting pledges. "She sent letters telling them about her dog and why she wanted to raise money to to get a dog for another per son because of Quixote," said her mom. "Quixote is such a positive part of her life." Among Meghan's largest contribu tors are the Royal Bank, $1,500; Schlumberger, $1,000; and Interac, $500. "She even has three contribu tions from the United States," said Jennifer. In recognition of this contribution, which amounts to almost half of the $25,000 raised from last fall's Walk for Dog Guides in Oakville, the Lions Club presented Meghan with a plaque. And, Meghan was asked to name the black Labrador puppy to be trained as a Special Skills Dog, using the money she raised, and chose the name Osborne. "I like that name," she said. Meghan is one of the Lions Foundation's youngest graduates, and is featured on the front cover of a fundraising brochure. The $25,000 raised in Oakville last year represents a doubling of the pre vious year's total, said Gord Wallen, fundraising manager for the Lions Foundation. This year, with money still coming in, he expects the national total to teach $250,000, and increase of more than $100,000 over 1999. "With double the money coming in, we can double our number of gradu ates," said Wallen. "I got a phone call telling me Meghan wanted to participate and raise enough money to train a Special Skills Dogs," said Wallen. "And, I talked to the Oakville Lions Club, our top supporting club, and asked them if they would make up the difference should Meghan fall short of her goal. And, guess what guys, you're off the hook." At the time of the Walk, held Oct. 1st, Meghan raised about $7,000 and the Lions Club agreed to make up the difference to reach the $10,000 needed to sponsor the puppy to be trained as a Special Skills Dog. M eghan Hines greets O sborne, the puppy she sponsored in the W alk fo r Dog G uides on O ct. 1st. Holding O sborne is Nicole C aron, head tra in e r fo r Special Skills Dogs at the Lions F oundation of C anada. M eghan also got to nam e the puppy. AT RIG H T: M eghan receives a plaq u e from the O akville Lions C lub for raising over $12,000 in the W alk. It was h er way of giving back to the Lions F oundation for providing h e r w ith Q uixote, h e r Special Skills Dog. M aking the presenta tion are, left, Bill Speck, chair, W alk fo r Dog G uides; and John T hom pson, Lion Chief. Photos by Wilma Blokhuis The Lions Foundation has hired three new trainers, and expects to graduate 90 teams - dogs and recipi ents - in June, said executive director Sandy Turney. In addition to the Special Skills Dogs, the foundation also trains Dog Guides for the Blind and Hearing Ear Dogs. The centre trains mostly Labradors and Golden Retrievers. 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