Walk raises $20,900 for Canada Dog Guides in honour of Arthur woman, guide dog struck by transport truck
Mount Forest Lions Club donates $10,000
MOUNT FOREST – Before the accident, Arthur resident Judy Chapman would go on walks at least twice a day with her loyal companion and guide dog, a black lab named Jemma that helped her navigate the community.
She may have even joined in the annual Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides held May 31.
But Chapman, a 78-year-old blind woman, has been bedridden for the past eight weeks.
A Hamilton hospital was her first stop, then Fergus, and now she’s in Guelph, enduring a long road to recovery after she and Jemma were struck by a transport truck in April while attempting to cross Highway 6/George Street in downtown Arthur.
Chapman suffered severe injuries to her legs and Jemma was pronounced dead at the scene.
While Chapman focuses on getting back on her feet, the community, including Chapman’s family, turned out to support the Walk for Dog Guides this past Sunday at Bill Moody Park.
LEFT: Mount Forest Lions Club members with participants prior to the annual Pet Value Walk for Dog Guides. Back row, from left: Vern Job, Geri English, Jim Hilgartner, Al Leach, Bill Yelland, Brent Bowes and Dan Macarthur. Front: Aria Cahill, Nora Grace, Tatiana Culp, Beau Culp and Tami and Marcia Kavelman with Pip the dog. RIGHT: The Mount Forest Lions present a $10,000 cheque to Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides representative Al Leach at Bill Moody Park on May 31.
Chapman’s family attended the walk under the name “Team Zeinstra,” raising $3,000 for the foundation.
Among the family members were Chapman’s great niece, three-and-a-half year-old Emmie Zeinstra.
“Emmie was having a hard time understanding why she couldn’t see Jemma again, so she wanted to do something to help her aunt Judy,” Chapman’s neice, Carol McIntosh, told the Advertiser.
Chapman hushed suggestions of an online fundraiser in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
Instead she encouraged residents to donate to the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides to help the organization cover the $35,000 cost of raising and training a single guide dog.
Canada Dog Guides provides trained canines free of charge to help visually impaired people, among others, navigate the world and live independently.
During Sunday’s walk, the Mount Forest Lions Club presented a $10,000 cheque, in honour of Chapman and Jemma, to Canada Dog Guides.
In addition, walk participants donated $10,900 raised via online and in-person pledges.
Officials from Canada Dog Guides, which has matched Chapman with canine helpers since 2001, has visited her in hospital and will match her with a new companion.
Local Dog Guides volunteer Al Leach said Chapman will be top-of-list for a new dog when she’s back on her feet.
“Judy is champing at the bit to get better [and] to get another dog,” McIntosh said.
