About Us

Lions Club International was established in 1917 to create an organization for the betterment of our communities and the world at large. Preventing Blindness-Restoring Eyesight Helen Keller addressed the 1925 Lions Clubs International convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, USA and challenged Lions to become “Knights of the Blind in the crusade against darkness”. Since then, we have worked tirelessly to aid aid blind and partially sighted persons. In 1944 the Guelph Lions Club was formed and ever since our charter night we have strived to fulfill Helen Keller’s dream. • Over the past 7 decades, the Guelph Lions Club has provided more than $500,000 in todays dollars to equip our ophthalmologists with the latest surgical equipment. • Through a $48,000 grant to the University of Guelph, blind students, staff and visitors can navigate independently throughout the campus and facilities using BlindSquare, a leading-edge GPS technology specifically designed for blind persons. • A $16,000 grant was provided to the University of Guelph so that more than sixty electric delivery carts could be outfitted with an electronic signal that triggers an alarm on the blind pedestrian’s iPhone that has been equipped with a special app. • The Guelph Lions club has made a commitment that no person in Guelph will do without prescription glasses. In partnership With LensCrafters Optical, Stone Road Mall, prescription eyeglasses are provided to those unable to afford the cost. • Based on a recommendation from a CNIB Specialist, an annual expenditure of $5,000 supports the purchase of specialized equipment such as digital magnifiers, talking book playback machines and smart phone applications for Blind Guelph residents. • 200 large format calendars are also provided to Guelph citizens with low vision. Guelph Community • Guelph Children and Family Services provide car seats to needy families thanks to a $17,500 grant from our Club. • Shelldale Community Centre were able to build a fence around the community gardens, thanks to a $30,000 grant from the Guelph Lions Club. • Each Christmas, seven to ten families receive a hamper with food, clothing and individual gifts for each member of the family. • The Guelph Lions sponsor Creative Writing Awards at seven secondary schools. • Our members also support the community by providing BBQs to community groups and cleaning up parks and highways, • In cooperation with Canadian Hearing Services, $17,500 financial support for the purchase of hearing aids for seniors on low income is provided yearly. Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides The Lions Foundation of Canada provides highly trained guide dogs to individual at no cost. There are 7 programs that provide service dogs, vision, hearing, seizure response, autism assistance, service, diabetes alert, facility support. Our Club provides a substantial annual contribution to the training of blind persons with their respective service dog. Most recently, we pledged $100,000 towards the construction of a new state of the art training Centre. Fund Raising We thank the many thousands of players who join our weekly Lions Rogers TV Bingo. This is our longest operating event which began in the early 1970’s at Maclean Hunter Cable. This was sold to Rogers where we now broadcast our weekly games. We also have an ongoing fund-raising campaign for which Charitable tax receipts are given to support our services to blind persons.