In this issue, Green Capes introduces a new Operating Committee, Announcing the 2027 Green Capes Dog Guide Puppy Calendar!, an update on the latest “Hero” graduate Daurene, an update on the PetValu Walk-For-Dog-Guides, upcoming events, Green Capes is looking for a new Treasurer and much more!
Introducing a new Operating Committee
With the start of a new fiscal year, the Green Capes Lions Club is proud to announce both some new and returning members to its Operating Committee.
Effective July 1st, 2026, the Green Capes Lions Club’s Operating Committee consists of the following members:
| Role | Name | Contact |
| President | Daniel Smith | ds****@********es.com |
| Vice President | Rhonda Bakusko | |
| Secretary | Janice Martin | jm*****@********es.com |
| Treasurer | Donna Williamson | dw*********@********es.com |
| Marketing & Events | Victoria Steger | vs*****@********es.com |
| Membership | Sharon Quarrington | me********@********es.com |
| Lions Sales Program Lead | Cathy Hunt | Ch***@********es.com |
Message from our President: “I would like to thank everyone for volunteering your time and skills to help guide the GCLC in its future endeavors, and look forward to great things to come! I would also like to thank all our club members, volunteers and supporters for all the generosity and hard work you have given us! It has been the combined efforts of everyone that has enabled us to get to where we are today, and by continuing to work together as a team, we will achieve even more in the future!
Our focus, going forward, will be on expanding our various calendar sales programs, spreading awareness of the independence and benefits service dogs bring to people with disabilities and being as open and informative with everyone as possible. We are looking forward to an absolutely amazing and fun fundraising season!
Thanks to all, and have a great 2026!”
We welcome and appreciate any comments, suggestions or other feedback! For general e-mails, please refer to the following list of contacts:
| Department/Topic | Contact |
| General e-mail | he***@********es.com |
| Lions Sales Program | gc********@********es.com |
| School Sales Program | sc***********@********es.com |
| Community Sales Program | cs*@********es.com |
| Invoice and Payment Questions | tr*******@********es.com |
| Requests to join/Information about membership | me********@********es.com |
| Event and business inquiries: | ev****@********es.com |
| Volunteering requests and Fundraising suggestions | fu********@********es.com |
Announcing the 2027 Green Capes Dog Guide Puppy Calendar!
The new 2027 Green Capes Dog Guide Puppy Calendar is here, and will soon be available for sale!
Filled with incredibly adorable puppies in training to be future service dogs, the 2027 Green Capes Dog Guide Puppy Calendar is on track to be a huge success this fundraising season.
The following is a collage of the images that are featured in the new calendar, which we are sure you will find absolutely adorable too!
The calendars retail for $20 each, and can be purchased at an upcoming event location, from a Community Sales Program (CSP) representative, or from a partnering school or Lions club in your area. To find a CSP representative, school or Lions club selling calendars in your area, an interactive map will soon be posted on our website which will be updated as new locations become available.
If you have a suggestion on a possible venue for selling calendars, we would love to hear from you! Please send us an e-mail at fu********@********es.com.
Be sure to get your 2027 Green Capes Dog Guide Puppy Calendar before they’re gone!
Update on the latest “Hero” graduate – Daurene
In January of 2026, we printed an update on the latest graduates from the “Hero” litter which the Green Capes Lions Club sponsored in March of 2024.
This month, we proudly announce that Daurene, who was named after Daurene Lewis, has completed her training in the Seizure Response program , and graduated with her new handler, Victoria, on July 15, 2026.
Daurene Lewis, who was elected mayor of Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, in 1984, was Canada’s first Black female mayor and the first Black mayor in Nova Scotia
“Daurene has been a great blessing to me. She has given me more confidence in leaving my place. She is more quiet just like me. She seems to sense when some of my seizures come and tries to get me to lay down so I don’t get hurt. She is truly a remarkable companion for me.” – Victoria
Daurene joins Heros Ranger, the first-ever Ontario Provincial Police Wellness Service Dog, Tango, Tupper, Rocket and Banting , who each graduated from the Service program with their respective handlers, as the Green Capes Lions Club’s latest Super Hero!
We wish each of them, and their handlers, all the best!
Update on the PetValu Walk-for-Dog-Guides
The PetValu Walk-For-Dog-Guides was another huge success this year!
The following is an update provided by the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides:
“Thank You for Making a Difference
The Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides is more than a national fundraiser – it’s 200 communities across Canada coming together with one shared purpose: helping provide Dog Guides, at no cost, to Canadians who rely on them every day.
Thanks to the incredible dedication of our walk organizers, participants, donors, volunteers, and supporters, together we raised an amazing $1.27 million!
Every step taken, every dollar donated, and every act of support brings us closer to changing lives through Dog Guides.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for making this year’s Walk such an incredible success.”
Thank you to everyone who sponsored the Green Capes Team for helping to make this event so successful, and we look forward to next year’s walk!
Upcoming Events
To start off the fundraising season this year, the Green Capes Lions Club will be conducting events in the following locations this month:
August 14th and 15th: Mackenzie Center Mall, Mackenzie, B.C.
August 28th and 29th: Canadian Tire, Prince George, B.C.
September 12th and 13th: No Frills store, Quesnel, B.C.
September 25th and 26th: Canadian Tire Fort St. john, BC.
Anyone interested in helping out at any of these events is welcome! Please send an e-mail to ev****@********es.com, or reply to this newsletter, and we will get in touch.
Green Capes Lions Club is looking for a new Treasurer
Do you have a background in accounting, and are interested in joining a fun and exciting group of friends?
The Green Capes Lions Club is looking for a new or existing club member to take over the Treasurer position on its Operating Committee, and would love to hear from you!
Anyone wishing to assume the Treasurer position would work with the existing treasurer during the remainder of the current fiscal year, and would take over the position at the start of the 2027/2028 fiscal year.
If you would like more information on the Treasurer position, or are an existing club member interested in becoming Treasurer, please submit your request to Donna at dw*********@********es.com, or reply directly to this newsletter.
Anyone wishing to join the Green Capes Lions Club as a full member and become Treasurer is welcome to send their request to our Membership Chair at me********@********es.com.
Thank you, and we look forward to working with you!
Try a free two-month trial, and join the GCLC Team!
Are you interested in helping Canadians with disabilities receive the gift of independence, safety and happiness a dog guide brings? Then how about becoming a member of the Green Capes Lions Club, and helping us raise funds in support of the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides! Not sure if becoming a member is right for you? No problem – you can join the club for free as a trial member for two months, and see what we are all about!
Did you know that there are fewer than 25 full-time members at Green Capes? Anyone is welcome to join, from anywhere in Canada! Most members are past or present puppy raisers, graduates and supporters, and we all work together to help make today’s puppies tomorrow’s Super Heroes!
Green Capes meets monthly via Zoom and currently conducts events in southern Ontario and northeast British Columbia. Not only do we help raise funds in support of Dog Guides, we also work to spread knowledge and awareness about dog guides, and the benefits they bring to Canadians.
For a small annual fee of $97 (pro-rated, if applicable), plus a one-time Lion’s International setup fee of $50 for new memberships, full members are able to host and participate in fundraisers, lead or participate in various club committees and enjoy various fun and exciting members-only club activities. Full members also have a voice at our monthly and annual member’s meetings, and can vote on various motions that will help guide our future! Members can even run for a position on the Club Executive, and help be a guiding light for the club and our future goals!
There is no better time to join, and a great opportunity to change the life of a person with a disability. Join the Green Capes Lions Club today, and help make today’s puppies tomorrow’s Super Heroes!
If you are interested in joining, just reply to this message and our membership coordinator will get back to you as soon as possible.
Send us your requests
We want to make our newsletter as informative as possible, and we would love to hear your comments or requests. Simply reply to this newsletter with your comments or requests, and we will update the newsletter accordingly.
Got a little newsperson buried deep down inside, just howling to be let off-leash? Got a few minutes to show off your writing talents? Join the newsletter team and help us spread the news.
Have a fun and enjoyable summer!
– The GCLC Team
