COMMUNAUTÉ • COMMUNITY
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Service dog guides Hawkesbury woman
the top of the stairs. “Vermont ran upstairs and stopped me from falling,” she said. “He blocked my fall, licked my face, and just looked at me. He stayed at my side and then helped me go back downstairs. He stays and watches the whole way up and down stairs now.” There are additional tasks he assists with too. Auger says, “When I can’t bend over and I’m doing laundry, I use a laser pointer and point to the item I want. He’ll give it to me to put into the washingmachine. He has even helped me make the bed, holding one side while I did the other side. When I was in a store, I dropped some change. He picked it up without any command. He does the same thing when we’re camping and I drop something. He reads my mind.” They even work on skills for practice. Vermont has become an amazing com- panion and mobility aid for Auger. He gets lots of dog time and play time too and has bondedwith the family. However, he’s there when she needs him for anything, whether it’s at home, shopping, the bowling alley, or the library. Auger said, “Vermont gives me confidence to be alone and do day-to-day things.” To learn more about Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, including the Assistance Dogs Division, visit www.guidedogs.ca or phone (613) 692-7777.
does for her. In addition to enhanced mobility and balance outside, Ver- mont helps inside the house too. Au- ger says, “In the morning, he sits in front of me, I tell him to brace and lean into him. Then, I tell him
with no problems, but on my bad days he helps me walk down the street.” Just down the block from her residence, there is a corner store, which she had never
RICHARD MAHONEY richard.mahoney@eap.on.ca
HAWKESBURY | Kathy Auger is not blind but she is benefitting from Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind. Auger, who has Lupus, and her dog, Ver- mont, are a familiar site in the Hawkesbury areas. After learning about the Assistance Dogs Division, she contacted Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind. It was more out of cu- riosity than anything and meant to be a preliminary call. She described her battle with Lupus; her really bad joints and arthri- tis issues. “A cane or walker is not my style,” said Auger. “I can’t see myself doing that.” She was advised that she sounded like a good candidate. “I had problems but coped with them. I felt like I was abusing the situa- tion. I could walk and do certain things and wondered if someone else needed the dog more.” Auger was introduced to Vermont and went through the training course. “It was hard at first,” she recalled. “Vermont didn’t listen. He didn’t know me, and I thought I can’t do this.” The instructor kept reassuring Auger that it would take some time. Ver- mont had to learn that Auger was his new master and Auger had to learn to be patient and wait for the bonding to occur naturally. “It got better as it went along.” By the end of the course, she was quite excited to gradu- ate. Auger is able to cope with her condition much better by having Vermont in her life. “He helps me walk. I have some good days
really been to alone. “My husband had to stand outside and watch me in case I fell down. I almost cried the first day I went with Ver- mont. I asked my husband, ‘Did you see that?’ I had no problem, and I was so excited. It was a big deal.” When Auger is out in the community, she will occasionally have people tell her
‘up’ and I stand up with him. He also helps me in and out of the bathtub, so I no lon- ger need my husband to help.” Not so long ago, Au- ger’s husband was afraid she would fall down the stairs. Now that Vermont is there, he doesn’t worry. The vote of confidence came when Auger expe- rienced a dizzy spell at
that she doesn’t look blind. She does her best to be patient and educate people about Vermont and assistance dogs in general. Even her friends sometimes ask what Vermont
Kathy Auger and Vermont.
Jean Lemay reçoit un prix national
Le Prix Jean-Robert-Gauthier 2013 a été décerné au président du Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’Est ontarien (CSDCEO), Jean Lemay, pour avoir con- tribué de façon remarquable à l’essor de l’éducation en français comme langue première. Le prix a été remis dans le cadre du con- grès annuel de la Fédération nationale des conseils scolaires francophones, qui s’est tenu à la fin octobre, en Colombie-Britan- nique. «Au cours de sa vie politique à titre de conseiller scolaire, de vice-président et de président du Conseil, M. Lemay n’a ménagé ni efforts, ni temps pour appuyer et partici-
per aux nombreuses réunions de comités et à celles du conseil», a déclaré l’attachée de direction, Johanne Côté. Conseiller scolaire depuis 1985, M. Lemay a été de toutes les batailles et revendica- tions pour que les Francophones obtien- nent la gestion de leur système scolaire. «Nous sommes très fiers du prix que M. Le- may a reçu. C’est un prix prestigieux et il a été remis à une personne qui lemérite gran- dement. Vingt-huit années à siéger comme conseiller scolaire, c’est presque trois dé- cennies à servir l’éducation catholique de langue française», a ajouté, pour sa part, la directrice de l’éducation et secrétaire, Cé- line Cadieux.
CINÉMA
LAURENTIAN CINEMA
Grenville (Qc) 819-242-3131
En français ROY DUPUIS
STARTING FRIDAY NOV. 22
L’INSTINCT DE LA MORT
Céline Cadieux et Jean Lemay
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