Lions Project for Canine Companions

09/11/2026

🐾🏆 A PAWSITIVELY AMAZING NIGHT! 🏆🐾

We are so proud to share that Payson Lions Club and Payson Parks and Recreation were honored with the Arizona Parks and Recreation Special Event Award for Pups in the Pines at a wonderful evening at the Phoenix Convention Center! 🎉

Pups in the Pines was created by the Payson Lions Club six years ago with one simple idea: showcase all the incredible ways dogs enrich and enhance our lives. 🐶❤️

Over the years, the event grew bigger and better, bringing together Sheriff K9 teams, Search & Rescue teams, Flyball, Disc and Agility teams, the Humane Society, Canine Companions, Leader Dogs, Love on a Leash and so much more! There were also costume and trick contests for our community’s pet dogs, along with an ever-growing group of dog-related vendors.

As the event grew, so did the need for resources, volunteers, sponsorships, insurance, permits and the manpower required to create all of the specialty courses, demonstrations and contest areas. By 2025, we knew Pups in the Pines had grown beyond what Payson Lions Club could manage alone.

Because it had truly become an event for the entire Payson community, Payson Lions Club approached Parks and Recreation about taking the lead. Today, Payson Lions continues proudly as an event partner, helping carry on the event created while allowing it to reach an even greater audience. 🦁🐾

The especially meaningful part of this story: proceeds from Pups in the Pines help support the Lions Project for Canine Companions and Leader Dogs, helping provide life-changing service dogs to people who need them. ❤️🐕‍🦺

We couldn’t be more proud to see something that started with the local Lions Club grow into such a special community event and to have its impact continue far beyond what was originally imagined.

And, of course… Therpy Dog, Naresh absolutely stole the show! 🩵

Congratulations to everyone who helped make Pups in the Pines such a success! We are honored to be part of its story. 🦁❤️🐾

09/08/2026

Hey Northern Ohio Lions, our Board Secretary Lion Ashley Ballard will be visiting the Painesville Club tomorrow evening to talk about her passion project - raising future service dog puppies for Lions Project for Canine Companions! All are welcome to attend and learn about our wonderful organization!

The Painesville Lions are kicking off fall with a great meeting this Wednesday, September 9 at 6 PM at the Painesville Elks Lodge (723 Liberty St.) and we’ve got some special guests joining us!

We’re excited to welcome Ashley Ballard and Colleen Burke from Canine Companions, along with their four-legged friends Sly, Biscuit, and Gretchen! They’ll be sharing about this amazing national organization, which has been providing highly trained service dogs to people with disabilities at no cost to the recipient since 1975.

And we’ve got a couple of connections, too! Ashley is the President of the Columbus Southeast Lions Club, and Colleen works right here at the Lake County Courthouse.

We’re looking forward to learning more about Canine Companions, meeting their dogs, and hearing about the important work they do to make a difference in people’s lives.

Our meetings are open to everyone, so if you’ve ever wondered what the Painesville Lions are all about, come check us out. Interested in joining us as a guest at an upcoming meeting? Reach out to us. We’d love to meet you!

08/18/2026

Last but not least, Future Service Dog Franco, raised by 3x Lions Project Past President Teresa Hart, entered professional training on Friday at our North Central Region Training Center in Ohio!

Franco is the son of our 2024-2025 President’s Pin Model, Lexington! He was also co-raised in the Southeastern Correctional Facility in Lancaster, OH, by an incarcerated handler.

This is the 20th dog that Teresa has raised, and her success rate is better than most! Lexington also has a very high success rate with her puppies, so Franco has about as good a start as any Canine Companions puppy could have!

Good luck Franco!! 🐾💙

08/17/2026

Say hello to Walrus!

Future Service Dog Walrus, affectionately known as “Wally”, was raised by Lions Project 1st Vice President, Kirk Noffsinger! Walrus entered professional training at our Northwest Training Center on Friday, where he will begin learning the ropes of Service Dog life!

The first few weeks of professional training are a decompression period and medical clearance process, then he’ll start conquering advanced skills. Along the way, his trainer will begin deciding what career might be best for him - Mobility Assistance, Hearing Assistance, Diabetic Alert, PTSD w/ a Veteran, or a Facility Dog.

Good luck Wally! 💙🙏

08/16/2026

Next up, her royal highness, Princess Puppy Purton! 👑

PUPPY Purton, named for our longtime volunteer Lion Jim Purton, also reported for professional training on Friday, at our Northeast Region (NER) Training Center in New York!

Puppy Purton was raised by Liz and Will Richmond, and naturally as the way things go with Canine Companions, the Richmonds and Team Purton have become good friends! Jim and fellow Lions Project volunteer Christine Frescas were even in person to celebrate Puppy Purton on Friday at NER!

Good Luck Purton! 💙🐾

08/16/2026

Friday was a bittersweet day for a few of our volunteers! 🥹

First up, PDG Kelvin Hite and Lion Robin Hite turned in Future Service Dog Hope to our North Central Training Center in Ohio, where she will begin professional training on her path to becoming a Service Dog.

Like all of our volunteers’ puppies, Hope has been pulling double duty as a Lions Project Ambassa-dogfor the past 16 months. She visited almost every club in MD-13 (OH) District 7, where Lion Kelvin was the District Governor for 2025-2026, and she helped raise much-needed funds for our organization as his service project. She also represented Lions Project at most of Ohio’s District Conventions and the State Convention!

Congrats to the Hites for a job well done! We’re excited to see what career Hope chooses! 💙🦮💛🐾

06/17/2026

We love seeing the impact of our donations in action!

Recently, the Canine Companions Southwest Region training center shared these photos and a heartfelt note after completing a kennel improvement project funded through a Lions Project for Canine Companions Community Funds Grant. The new barrier fencing has enhanced the beauty of the campus while helping reduce distractions in a busy kennel area.

Their message reminded us why our support is so important:

“We are so grateful for the support of Lions Project for Canine Companions. Helping the Southwest Region purchase barrier fencing for our kennels has beautified our campus and provided a barrier to limit distractions in a busy area.”

Thank you to the Southwest Region team for sharing these photos—and we have to admit, the puppy bloopers might be our favorite part! 🐾💙

A special thank you to our Lions volunteers and supporters who make projects like this possible. 🦁

06/16/2026

An update on Jett and Clark, who many of you may remember from our mailing earlier this year! 💙💛