April 30. 2026
This was the night of the Leader Dog Banquet. The Westminster Lions presented their donation to our speaker.
Walker Jones is a member of the Augusta Lions Club in Georgia, MD 18-N. He is is a passionate advocate, public speaker and content creator who is not just navigating life with blindness but helping others see it in a whole new way. Diagnosed with Usher Syndrome, Walker now has only a small fraction of his vision left, but that has never stopped him from living life boldly or aiming to make a difference. With his Leader Dog Loki by his side, Walker walks with strength, faith and a message the world needs to hear. He speaks from experience, turning pain into purpose and obstacles into opportunities to educate. Walker is a proud father, a creator and a passionate educator who believes that life’s greatest hardships can become our greatest purpose. Whether it be public speaking, collaborating with Leader Dogs for the Blind, or creating videos that reach across the internet, Walker’s message is clear; blindness is not the end.
I found Walker to be an engaging speaker. His humor stands out. One thing I didn't know was that before a leader dog is assigned, the person has to go through training with the white cane. The person has to prove they can use the white cane.
A little history on Leader Dogs for the Blind: Leader Dog was founded on April 4, 1939, by three members of the Uptown Lions Club of Detroit: Charles A. Nutting, Donald P. Schurr and S.A. Dodge. They were inspired by a fellow Lion, Dr. Glenn “Doc” Wheeler, and his desire for a guide dog after he lost his sight. The group purchased a small farm in Rochester Hills, Michigan, for $1 plus the mortgage, later expanding it to the current 14-acre campus.
The first class graduated in October 1939 at a cost of $600 per client-dog team, with $150 initially paid by the client. Client payments ended in 1958 to provide services at no cost to clients. In 1991, Leader Dog started the first-ever guide dog program for people who are DeafBlind. By 2002, we had piloted our orientation & mobility (O&M) program, making us the first guide dog organization to offer O&M instruction. And in 2024, our team introduced Spanish language instruction to Spanish-speaking clients in the United States and Canada.
We thank Lion Gary Bennett and his wife, Lion Ellen Bennett, for their hard work this year with the Leader Dog events.
This was the night of the Leader Dog Banquet. The Westminster Lions presented their donation to our speaker.
Walker Jones is a member of the Augusta Lions Club in Georgia, MD 18-N. He is is a passionate advocate, public speaker and content creator who is not just navigating life with blindness but helping others see it in a whole new way. Diagnosed with Usher Syndrome, Walker now has only a small fraction of his vision left, but that has never stopped him from living life boldly or aiming to make a difference. With his Leader Dog Loki by his side, Walker walks with strength, faith and a message the world needs to hear. He speaks from experience, turning pain into purpose and obstacles into opportunities to educate. Walker is a proud father, a creator and a passionate educator who believes that life’s greatest hardships can become our greatest purpose. Whether it be public speaking, collaborating with Leader Dogs for the Blind, or creating videos that reach across the internet, Walker’s message is clear; blindness is not the end.
I found Walker to be an engaging speaker. His humor stands out. One thing I didn't know was that before a leader dog is assigned, the person has to go through training with the white cane. The person has to prove they can use the white cane.
A little history on Leader Dogs for the Blind: Leader Dog was founded on April 4, 1939, by three members of the Uptown Lions Club of Detroit: Charles A. Nutting, Donald P. Schurr and S.A. Dodge. They were inspired by a fellow Lion, Dr. Glenn “Doc” Wheeler, and his desire for a guide dog after he lost his sight. The group purchased a small farm in Rochester Hills, Michigan, for $1 plus the mortgage, later expanding it to the current 14-acre campus.
The first class graduated in October 1939 at a cost of $600 per client-dog team, with $150 initially paid by the client. Client payments ended in 1958 to provide services at no cost to clients. In 1991, Leader Dog started the first-ever guide dog program for people who are DeafBlind. By 2002, we had piloted our orientation & mobility (O&M) program, making us the first guide dog organization to offer O&M instruction. And in 2024, our team introduced Spanish language instruction to Spanish-speaking clients in the United States and Canada.
We thank Lion Gary Bennett and his wife, Lion Ellen Bennett, for their hard work this year with the Leader Dog events.
Past International
Direcotoe Richard
Liebno
Lions Ellen and Gary
Bennett
Lion Walker Jones and Loki
Westminster Lions (right to left) Susie Coursey,
Kenny Carlisle, and Lee Miller
Westminster Lions (left to right) Barb Hayes,
Karen Guerrasio, Kris Roeder, and Wendy
Beares. Next to Wendy is PDG Jeremy Bair.