Many months ago when the idea of riding across America officially was launched, I thought it would take forever for the actual departure date to arrive. Well here we are, only three weeks and one day before I will be settling into the routine of "ride, eat, sleep, repeat" for seven straight weeks. I think mentally and physically I am more than ready for the challenge.
With that said, there is so much left to do before the June 16th deadline, despite all the work that has been done to date. The following is a brief update on some of the events over the past few weeks since my last blog post.
Visiting Lions Clubs Throughout Our Region
We have had the chance to speak at many Lions clubs and other meetings across multiple district 19-G. There are so many Lions who have reached out to us and have helped get us on the agendas to talk about Leader Dogs and the Cycling For Leader Dogs project. The Longview Pioneer Lions, Ridgefield Lions, Salmon Creek Lions, Kalama Lions, Kelso Lions as well as zone leaders for 19-G1 and G2. We also were very fortunate to have the support of our District Governor Crawford Spence to get us on the agenda at our MD 19-G conference. Thank you Lions of MD 19G for your tremendous support! Also, I owe my fellow club members of the La Center Lions a huge thank you for all they have done as part of this project. Steve Fuller, Ken and Judy Hickman and our club treasurer Dana Hantho. You guys are superstars in my book! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Sharing About Leader Dogs for the Blind with Students
Thanks to Deb Marinos and her Leader Dog "Kibble" as well as Regional Trainer Stephanie Sherwood, more than 1,000 students at La Center elementary and La Center middle school had the chance to hear about Leader Dogs for the Blind, what it is like to have the freedom to travel through the use of a Leader Dog and what it is like to bring a client and newly trained dog together. I also shared with my students about Cycling for Leader Dogs. I am very proud of our students and have heard lots of positives from students and staff about the assemblies that Deb, Kibble and Stephanie provided. Each student also received a Leader Dog book mark for their summer reading. Thank you Deb, Kibble and Stephanie for taking time out of your busy day to share your experiences and knowledge with La Center students.
