Wata Anitmatted Logo Wellston Area
January 2005
More News
Life as a Leader dog
is Much more
than that of an
average canine

It took Brad McKenna four hours to get from Rochester to Wellston Elementary, but it was well worth the trip.

 Lying down on the job is an option for a select few
It gave him the opportunity to teach the students about the important role a canine can play in a person's life, especially when they ar deprived of their sight.
As they say "let sleeping dogs lie," which is just what
Ranger was doing in between appearances at the
Wellston Elementary on Thursday.  Ranger made an
appearance on behalf of the Leader Dogs for the Blind 
-------
    McKenna goes around to a number of schools throughout Michigan on behalf of the Leader Dog for the Bind, an organization that trains dogs to be the eyes for someone who is sight impaired.
   Their program is unique in that the person does not have to be completely blind, much like a Manistee County man, Thomas Silverthorn.
    It's McKenna's job to familiarize the children with leader dogs, exactly what they do for their owner, and even what to do if they get the chance to meet one.
Ranger gives Johnny Brooks a kiss after he completed
his first appearance at Wellston Elementary.  Ranger is
allowed to be a regular dog when his harness is not on .
    "You should never just walk up and pet a working dog," he told the students.  "Always ask if it's Ok."    Silverthorn brought his Leader Dog, Ranger, to meet the children and to give McKenna an opportunity to show the children the best way to approach a Leader Dog.
    Since dogs are not the only option available to the blind, McKenna also showed the kids how the cane is used and told them about how more recent tecnology, like global positioning systems, are being used.
    "A cane is an object finder," he explained to the kids as he as he navigated through the crowd with one. "  "With the dog we avoid objects, so they are an object avoider."
Showing the students at Wellston Elementary how a
sight impaired individual uses a cane, Brads McKenna
maneuvers through the crowd with a cane.
    "All the children here at Wellston Elementary love Dogs," principal Keith Shearer told McKenna at the start of the presentation.
    That fact was verified by the number of hands that went up indicating they had dogs at home. and the attentive eyes and ears that paid all their attention to McKenna as he spoke.
    Leader Dogs for the Blind was started in 1939 and was founded by the Lion's Club.  Around the country, the Lion's continue to show their support for the program, and that is the case here in Manistee County.
    Local Lions are working to get a Leader Dog program within the 4H club, which means the family would be raising the pup until it was one year old.
    Once it has reached that first year mark, it will be making it's way to Rochester to be trained at the main facility.  They are still looking for that special 4-Her and his/her family to host the first leader dog.
ABOVE: Brad McKenna Shows the students an example of a harness a working dog might wear, indicating they are not to pet the dog while he is wearing it
LEFT: Rich Pachesny (in Red ), second grader at wellston Elementary, demonstrates what Brad McKenna taught the 
kids about how to properly approach a working dog.  He first asked if it was okay, then offered ranger a rub on the head.
    "Money is no issue ," said Debra Laws, coordinator of the Manistee county 4-H. "We have the money we just need a chief."
    Anyone interested in participating can call Laws at the MSU Extension Office, (231) 889-4277