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NEADS Community Engagement Meeting - Guide Dogs: '4 Pawed Independence'

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Featured Speakers: Heather Walkus and Katja Newman

Wednesday, November 25, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. EST on Zoom.

Heather Walkus is a Community Developer, Organizer, Advocate and guide dog user, living in the Similkameen Valley of British Columbia. She has 5 decades of experience working in social justice and cross disability Human Rights issues, in Canada and Internationally and has a background in Universal Design.

Heather is currently 1st Vice Chair of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, Co-Chair of the National Coalition of Guide and Service Dog users and Chair of the BC Guide Dog Coalition.

Heather will be speaking about, where in the Human Rights cross disability movement that issues impacting people using a Guide or Service Dog are situated. Why they are important, how they impact all people in the cross disability community and all people who believe in social justice and real inclusion in Canada.

Katja Newman is a 26 year old resident of Ottawa Ontario. She is currently obtaining an online Masters degree in Grant Writing Management & Evaluation from Concordia University Chicago.

Katja received her first guide dog from the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides back when she was just 15 years old. A decade later and Katja has worked with a total of four guides, who have seen her through high school graduation, an advanced college diploma in Child & Youth Work from Georgian College and a Bachelors degree in Social Work from Carleton University. She is currently working her fourth guide, a petite female black Labrador named Starburst from the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind.

Katja will be sharing briefly her lived experience being a student with a disability and guide dog user on a university/college campus. She will recount stories of her/her dog's adventures that will highlight the beneficial, independence increasing aspects of guide dog partnership and the challenging, frustrating aspects of working with a guide dog during post secondary studies.

Register in advance for this meeting by following this link:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Captioning will be provided. Please join us for an exciting and informative hour on guide dogs!




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