Guiding Eyes For The Blind At Fulton Lions September Meeting

Guiding Eyes For The Blind, (GEFB), who train and provide service dogs to those with vision loss, was the featured program at the September Fulton Lions meeting where the club made a $1,000 donation to the organization. From left: Melissa Champion, club president; Kayla Walker,(seated) Guiding Eyes puppy raiser with her labrador, Francisco;  and Mary Oonk, GEFB co-central NY regional coordinator. For more information on GEFB, visit

FULTON, NY – Guiding Eyes For The Blind, (GEFB), who train and provide service dogs to those with vision loss, was the featured program at the September Fulton Lions meeting.

“The Fulton Lions Club has supported Guiding Eyes for decades,” said Melissa Champion, club president. “That’s why we were pleased to make a $1,000 donation this evening. Helping them helps us in our mission to help the blind and hearing impaired in our community.”

Mary Oonk, GEFB co-central NY regional coordinator and puppy raiser, and Kayla Walker, a puppy raiser from Fulton, spoke to the club about the program while showcasing Walker’s puppy, Francisco, a 4-month-old black Labrador Retriever. “We are passionate about connecting exceptional dogs with individuals for greater independence,” Oonk said. “All our services are provided free of charge, so support from the Fulton Lions Club is greatly appreciated.”

Oonk explained that, for the first time, she and Guiding Eyes made a presentation to medical residents at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Syracuse. The purpose was to instruct them on how physicians can effectively interact with and treat blind patients with service dogs.  At present,  Oonk said, there are 12 puppies in training in the CNY region, which includes Oswego, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Madison counties. For more information on GEFB, visit [email protected].

The Fulton Lions Club,  known for their Lions Loot Sweepstakes, annual Charby’s Duck Derby, and Mane Event Comedy Night, provides financial assistance for those in need of eyeglasses, eye exams and hearing aids to residents in the Greater Fulton area.  For more information on the Fulton Lions Club, visit www.fultonlionsclub.com.

.

Print this entry