Navan Lions, together with local volunteers and other local Lions, have worked with professional optometrists, the Canadian Council of the Blind, the Ottawa Carleton District School Board and the Essilor Luxottica Foundation to provide vision screening and a mobile eye clinic for local school children in their school at no charge. The screenings gave an early warning of potential problems such as poor vision, colour blindness, depth perception, limited peripheral vision etc. We are proud to have identified many previously unrecognised problems and assisted in enabling needy families to get eye care and free eyeglasses.
Up to 28% of the children tested required professional follow up and about 9% required eyeglasses. In January 2019 our clinic revealed two children that were completely blind in one eye and which were previously undetected.
This program is currently on hiatus. We hope to resume shortly.
Navan Lions participate in the eyeglass recycling program that sends used glasses around the world to needy children and adults. If you have some glasses to donate, or can set up a collection point, please contact us.
The Lions foundation of Canada established its founding program, Canine Vision Canada, in 1985. Since then the Foundation has grown to include seven different Dog Guide programs: Hearing, Seizure Response, Service, Autism Assistance, Diabetes Alert, Facility Support and Canine Vision.
The Foundation’s mission is to assist Canadians with a medical or physical disability by providing them Dog Guides at no cost. To do this, the Foundation operates Dog Guides Canada, a preeminent national training school and charity that assists individuals with disabilities through specialized Dog Guide programs. It costs approximately $35,000 to train and raise each Dog Guide that is provided at no cost to eligible Canadians from coast to coast to coast. The Foundation relies on donations from individuals, service clubs, foundations and corporations and does not receive any government funding.
Now the largest school of its kind in Canada, Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides has two training facilities in Ontario: one in Breslau and another in Oakville. The Oakville school was featured on the Rick Mercer Report on CBC.
Navan Lions support the training of the dogs by organizing sponsored dog walks and other fundraising. We are also contributing to the capital fund for building an expanded training facility to cope with the high demand for dogs.
Watch videos about the many services these dogs provide by clicking on the buttons.
We begin by acknowledging that the land on which we gather is the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg People. The Algonquin peoples have lived on this land since time immemorial. We are grateful to have the opportunity to be present in this territory and we undertake to serve and assist ALL the communities living here in the spirit of reconciliation.
Financial Support
We have supported Indigenous Clean Energy and the Downey Wenjack Foundation and are providing ongoing financial support to Isaruit Inuit Arts and Minwaashin Lodge.
Community Meetings
We held two Community Reconciliation Meetings in 2024 in Navan. The first meeting was a film night, showing the SECRET PATH film and the music of Gord Downie, followed by a discussion. Our second meeting was in partnership with the Odawa Native Friendship Centre, Isaruit Inuit Arts, the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition and the Legacy of Hope Foundation. It featured opening ceremonies by Algonquin and Inuit Elders, presentations on the theme of “How to Be an Ally” and a seven-panel exhibition featuring Indigenous youth art and showing their hopes for a better Canada.
Navan Fair
We assisted the Fair Board to bring several of the above-named Indigenous organizations into the 2025 Navan Fair for the first time, with participation in the parade and display/discussion tables in the vendor area. We are now working with the Fair Board to bring an expanded Indigenous presence to the 2026 Fair.
Popcorn Diplomacy
Our popcorn machine and free popcorn have become a regular feature at our friends’ events and generates smiles and goodwill wherever it goes. In 2025 we were honoured to be invited to the Resilience Day event organised by the Indigenous Early Years Circle, the Minwaashin Lodge Halloween party and the Isaruit-organised celebration of International Inuit Day.
Hannah Billings, a child in Navan, passed away In 2007, at only 10 years of age, after losing a hard fought battle with Osteosarcoma – (Bone Cancer). Despite the terrible experience of her own treatments and condition Hannah was very active in trying to help other children in dire medical situations. She was one of the faces of the CHEO Dream Team, represented the Canadian Cancer Society and was included in the Candlelighter’s Courage Beads Brochure.
Since her passing the Navan Lions Club – with the help of the Navan Women’s Institute and the Demolition Derby – has been managing a fund in her memory. The fund is specifically for helping sick children and their families deal with the consequences of serious childhood illness or disability.
If you are in that position or you know of someone who is dealing with a very sick child – please download the brochure and application form and either mail, email or present it to any member of the Club. All requests will be considered as confidential, and will be evaluated by a small committee which manages the fund with input from Hannah’s family.
To date the fund has disbursed over $38,500 to several needy families to help with their expenses arising from medical emergencies.
Download the brochure below:
Navan Lions support the camps linked below for kids with various health problems & disabilities.
Special Thanks to the Friends of Mer Bleue for financial support in the design of this website.
Photo credits; Tom Devecseri, John Ladds & Alan White
