Hagersville Lions honour Haldimand Abilities Centre with Helen Keller Fellowship

The Haldimand Abilities Centre has been honoured with a Helen Keller Fellowship, presented by the Hagersville Lions Club, recognizing 15 years of outstanding community service.

The award is presented to individuals and organizations that work tirelessly to fulfil Keller’s 1925 challenge to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.”

Hagersville Lions Club members Bruce Roulston and Jeanie Arthur delivered the award plaque to Haldimand Abilities Centre staff on Thursday.

Roulston has also received the Helen Keller Fellowship for his work with the service club and the CNIB.

He's taken part in many programs at the centre since 2010, including

reading programs for people with vision loss, painting groups and social events.

Haldimand Abilities Centre team lead Ashley Everets said staff members were honoured to receive the award.

Located at 42 Main St. S. in Hagersville, the Haldimand Abilities Centre is open to everyone in the community, with programs geared toward adults 18 and older, Everets said.

The centre offers specialized programs for people living with acquired brain injuries, vision loss and Alzheimer’s disease. The centre is funded by Ontario Health and operates through a partnership with the Alzheimer Society, Head Injury Rehabilitation Ontario and Vision Loss Rehabilitation Ontario.

The centre offers group programming Tuesday through Thursday, with a mix of in-person, virtual and hybrid options, like meditate and paint, seated fitness, and a vision support group, to name just a few.

In addition to the Helen Keller Fellowship, the Haldimand Abilities Centre received a $5,000 donation from last year’s Hagersville Catch the Ace, a joint effort between Hagersville Rocks and the Hagersville Lions Club. The progressive lottery, which ran for 45 weeks, grossed over $3 million for not-for-profit groups, including the West Haldimand General Hospital, Hagersville Food Bank, the Hagersville Legion and local sports teams.

Roulston said the progressive lottery was also a shot in the arm for the Lions Club, which saw its membership rise from 22 to nearly 40 members.