Donor Profile: Jane Bolender
Jane, Tom Wilson and LDB Team Member Kit Davis in 1995 as they anxiously await dog issue.
My father was a dedicated member of Lions International and loved his Lions Club very much. He was always volunteering for club activities that benefited Leader Dog. When he passed away in 1958, I knew that I wanted to do something to continue his legacy with both the Lions and Leader Dog. I was not financially able to donate for many years. However, I never lost sight of what I wanted to do to honor my father.
In 1984 I received a call from Kit Davis of LDB inviting me to Leader Dog to meet Bill Hansen, who was the president and CEO at the time. My friend, Tom Wilson, and I agreed to meet Bill and attend Issue Day. I will never forget that day as long as I live. Bill told us that we were going to have a life changing experience and we certainly did. We were able to witness the exact moment that a recipient of a Leader Dog was given their dog. Oh my, to be there to see the transfer from the instructor who trained the dog to the person who was the perfect match for the dog was a privilege. To see a person given a completely new way of living, a new sense of independence was overwhelming. How many people do you know that would like to have someone help him or her through life? These individuals just received a gift that was going to enhance their life beyond their heart’s desires. To be part of that moment in time was life changing, heart warming, and tearful for all in the room.
Leader Dogs for the Blind has so much technology to offer to the person who is blind, visually impaired, or deaf and blind. I am always motivated to give knowing that the school continues to train the best dogs, change people’s lives, and equip the recipient not only with a dog, but also with the latest technical skills and equipment.
When I visit the campus, I am so impressed to see the dogs so well cared for, being played with by the large number of Leader Dog volunteers. One other thing that has kept me giving all these years is that I used to work in Downtown Detroit. On a regular basis I would see the big green trucks parked on the streets and the instructors working the dogs and training the people with their dogs. It is so very amazing to watch them work.