Changing lives with guide dogs: Walk raised $5,000 for program

Faith has become a lifeline for Melody Wright-Sampson, who is both hearing and visually impaired.

Faith is her two year old a chocolate lab that assists Wright-Sampson with her daily activities by finding obstacles, curbs, stairs and doors.

Wright-Sampson was born with impaired hearing and developed visual impairment about 13 years ago, which left her with limited peripheral vision. At first she tried walking with a cane, but found it difficult and she was always worried about tripping people with it.Then she heard about the Lion’s Club of Canada’s program that paid for the costs of guide dogs for those in need.

The program raises and trains dogs for those who are visually impaired, have hearing impairments, those who are epileptic and other special needs.

The cost of training a guide dog is between $12,000 and $15,000, while training a special needs dog is closer to $20,000. About 50 dogs and their owners walked from Lee Park along the waterfront Sunday afternoon to raise funds for the Lion’s program and get dogs to those in need in their community.

The wait time for getting a guide dog is between two and three years, but when Wright-Sampson applied last May, she was told within two weeks that she would get a dog by the summer.

In June she went to the training facility in Oakville, Ont. where she met Faith for the first time, and learned her special abilities and how to walk with her. Faith is now Wright-Sampson eyes at night and in low light, when she cannot see anything.

Wright-Sampson always assumed the guide dogs were for those who were completely blind of deaf, but now she recommends them for anyone with a disability.

“With her my life is totally different,” she said. “She is also a great companion.”

Sunday’s walk, hosted by the Widdifield Lions Club, raised around $5,000 for the guide dog program. (Source: JENNY POTTER, THE NUGGET)