The Peninsula Lions Club will fill the stomachs of hungry Point Loma residents ” and raise money for several worthy causes ” during the 14th annual Spaghetti Dinner on Saturday, Feb. 2 from 4 to 8 p.m.
The event will be held in conjunction with the Dana Association and the Sunset Cliffs Surfing Club at the Masonic Center, 1711 Sunset Cliffs Blvd. The Lions Club will be raising funds this year for Guide Dogs of the Desert, a nonprofit organization that provides vision-impaired individuals with guide dogs.
“It takes about $50,000 to raise a dog from the time it’s a puppy,” said Bill Klees, Lions Club member and former club president. Dogs that are part of the program are put through extensive training until they can be matched with a human candidate.
“The dog is a constant support,” said Brandon Christiansen, a Guide Dogs participant and Lion’s Club member.
Christiansen lost his vision in 1996 when he was struck by a car while walking. He qualified for a guide dog in 1998.
“My first dog showed me through the last part of my college career and that’s how my wife and I met,” he said.
Christiansen met his blind wife, Lisa, at a Guide Dogs class reunion.
“We first met in 1999 and she didn’t like me,” he said. But the following year, at another reunion, Brandon’s dog, Forest, and Lisa’s dog, Gaston, literally ran into each other and their leashes became tangled.
Guide dogs are put through about two years of training before being matched with a person, said Brandon. As puppies, dogs are placed with a family for a year in preparation for formal training. Formal instruction includes the training of dogs six days a week, eight hours a day for six to eight months ” helping to match the mental and physical needs of participants, according to Brandon. After graduation, Guide Dogs instructors offer follow-up.
“They match you with your size, stature and also what personality you have,” said Brandon. “My first guide dog, Forest, was amazing, because I was still in the stages of recovery and I needed the perfect dog who could handle me.”
Although Brandon said his dog enjoys playing with toys and running around, the guide dogs are trained to behave in social situations that other dogs may be unaccustomed to.
Forest is retired from his caretaker role and living in Maui with Brandon’s parents. Brandon’s new dog, Patriot, is one of the largest Labradors to graduate from the Guide Dogs school, weighing 95 pounds. Lisa’s dog, Gaston, is also a Labrador and continues to be a companion to her at age 12. Because Guide Dogs of the Desert is a nonprofit organization, participants receive dogs for free.
“You’re giving a person their life back when you donate,” said Brandon.
The spaghetti dinner is the Lions Club’s largest fund-raising event of the year. In past years, raffle and silent auction donations and contributions from community members have helped the nonprofit raise $10,000. Klees said he hopes this year’s dinner will have an even better turnout.
The dinner will also benefit the Dana Association, which will fund new laptops for Dana Middle School’s language arts classes. The Sunset Cliffs Surfing Association has participated in the event the past couple of years to raise money supporting spinal cord research.
Tickets for the event are $8 and are available at the door. They are also available by calling (619) 225-8200. Tickets are also available at the Dana Middle School Library.