Lions, dogs and deer

IOLA – The Iola Lions will be collecting deer antlers this fall to donate to a service dog training organization. The antlers can be from harvested bucks taken during hunting season or shed antlers from when bucks drop them in late winter.
The Iola Lions will be teaming up with Leader Dogs for the Blind (LDB) again this year to collect antlers, marking its third year in collaboration.
A collection box will be placed outside of JR’s Sports Shop, 195 E. State Street.
The box will be available to drop off unwanted antlers of sheds now until early January.
“Last year, we collected 164 antlers for Leader Dogs for the Blind at an approximate value of $3,280,” said Lion Sandi Moore, the project coordinator. “The second year, we collected 145 at an approximate value of $2,900. We hope to collect even more this year now that people are aware our project.”

After the collection ends, antlers will be boxed and shipped to Wisconsin’s LDB representative for distribution to families who are training puppies.
Generally puppies will stay with families for about a year, then they will go to LDB’s headquarters in Michigan for advanced training.
Being that puppies infamously like to chew on things, hosts who raise puppies from six to seven weeks to about a year old will benefit from having antlers to keep their puppies busy.
LDB is a non-profit organization providing free guide dogs, orientation and mobility training, and other services for people who are blind or visually impaired.
Their website, www.leaderdog.org, states: “These dogs give people the tools, skills and confidence to travel independently. Our Orientation and Mobility (white-cane skills) and Guide Dog programs are for people 16 or older whose daily travel is impacted by vision loss.”
Anyone looking for more information can contact Moore at 920-840-1321.