Lions of Michigan District 11C1
Helping a Member Gain Greater Freedom
Katie Mawby is a very active person - she water and snow skis, she’s a mom and physical therapist, she’s a Leader Dog user. Last year when Katie learned about Leader Dog’s Trekker GPS program, she immediately knew it would fit her lifestyle. Katie was accepted into the Trekker program; however, the cost of the equipment was a bit beyond her reach.
Katie’s father, Lion Roger Mawby, approached the Rockford Lions Club about helping Katie purchase a Trekker. The Rockford Lions in turn contacted the Grand Haven Lions Club, where Katie is a member, about matching their $1,000 commitment. “We didn’t know about the Trekker program at that point,” says Ray Harz, PDG and current president of the Grand Haven Club. “Katie explained to us how the GPS unit would help her mobility and we were sold on the project. I’ve always found Katie to be extremely independent; she views her blindness with an ‘I’ll deal with it’ attitude.”
Katie has been using the Trekker for almost a year and it has had a positive impact on her ability to travel independently. “I used to have to ask passer-bys for directions to a store or a street, now I can get anywhere I want, in any city I want, without help (except for Tucker).”
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