The club also inducted Intan Kallus on 30 May as a member of the club. Intan is a hard-working member of the community who is involved with many causes. We are pleased to welcome her to the Lions Family.
Of course, Anzac Day was another huge success and we extend our thanks to all on the committee. We all see their efforts on Anzac Day. However, there is much that goes on behind the scenes months before the day and we acknowledge that effort. Thank you to the community who supported the barbecue, purchased poppies and Anzac biscuits and so on. These funds will ensure that Anzac Day will have the funds to continue to be such a special event in the Valley calendar.
Hearing Assistance Dogs
For more than 40 years, Australian Lions Hearing Dogs (ALHD) has been providing Australians who are deaf or hard of hearing a set of ‘furry ears’ free of charge. By 2020, ALHD delivered just over 650 Australians a professionally trained Hearing Assistance Dog.
One in six Australians suffer from some form of hearing loss and this number continues to rise. Currently, more than 400,000 Australians are suffering from severe or profound hearing loss. Factors impacting these difficulties range from our ageing population to noise- or occupation-induced hearing loss. A study from the University of Melbourne states that about 350 children are born with permanent hearing loss each year.
Hearing difficulties hurt more than just the individuals inflicted, it flows on to their friends and families. This is where Australian Lions Hearing Dogs make a real difference.
To support this foundation, National Hearing Dog Day was established in 2020 to celebrate the life-changing impact of Assistance Dogs on the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community and to mark ALHD’s 40th anniversary. This special day commemorates the delivery of our very first Hearing Assistance Dog, Amber, on 19 April 1982.
Your club supports the hearing dogs and in April 2024, Lions proudly celebrated a major milestone – the delivery of the 700th Hearing Assistance Dog, Yannis! Now fully accredited, Yannis is making a life-changing impact on his recipient, bringing confidence, independence and support to their daily life on the sunny Gold Coast.
