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8 - The Canadian Champion, Tueaday, Dacember 16, 1997 ýO487 Launrer Ave. 878.1881 Pups need some homes for a while Ever thought about becoming a foster parent for a puppy? 'Me Lions Foundation of Canada, which trains guide dogs for the blind, needs volunteers in its Foster Puppy Program. Selected households provide homes for puppies so they leamn proper house manners and basic obedience and are socialized and exposed to many different situations, experiences and people. "Foster homes are very important in the early development and training of dog guides," said Leigh Wagland of the Lions Foundation. Assessments at four, six and 10 months of age evaluate the progresa of the puppies. Wben the puppies are between 10 and 14 months of age, tbey are recalled for training with blind and deaf people, and those physically and medically disabled. "Dog guides are provided at no cost to these people," Ms Wagland said. "Tlhe dogs greatly improve the quality of life for those who become dog guide bandlers." A renovated achool, located at the corner of Rebecca and Kerr streets in Oakville, houses the Lions Foundation and its work for Canine Vision Canada, Hearing Far Dogs of Canada and Special Skills Doga of Canada. Dogs are assessed and assigned to one of the three programs for six to eight months of training. Foster families are provided with dog food donated by Raîston Purina Canada and the foundation covers routine medical and veterinary expenses, Ms Wagland said. AIl puppies are neutered at eight to nine weeks of age prior to placement. Upon suceesaful completion of the training program, famnilies are invited to graduation and given a photograpb of the graduat- ing team. To participate in the Foster Puppy Program, caîl 842-289 1. A catch up clinie will be on tonight for hepatitis shots There are still some students in Halton who are only partly immunized against bepatitis B, and Halton Region's health department wants to do sornething about il. It takes three shots of thse vaccine to be fully pmotected from the virus yet many students who participated in a 1996 immunization programn haven't bad aIl three. "We tbink it's great that 78 per cent of thse students who took advantage of thse program completed thse series," said Mary Anne Carton, manager of the communicable disease programn for Halton Region. "However, we are concemed that thse others have only partial protection. We hope that these students who require a second or third shot will complete the program." To belp do that, regional health staff are holding a clinic this aftemnoon and evening (Tuesday Dec. 16) in the auditorium at the Halton Regional Centre in Oakville. No appointments are neces- sary. The clinic runs from 3 through 7 p.m. The Halton Regional Centre is on the east aide of Highway 25 just north of the QEW. These new mothers have made friands as wel as acquired morne tîps on parenthood in s Halton Regional Health Department program. They recently met for a Christmas party. From lefI are Dominique McLaren with daughter Rebecca, Carol Galloto and son Joshua and Sherry Morse wlth daughter Emly. Mom says Halton baby club a good Mixer for newcomers By KAREN SMITH The Champion A Halton Regional Health Department parenting program for new moms and dada is informative as well as fun, says a local participant. The Calling New Parents program helps first-time parents leamn about infant care and explores parenting issues in an informai set- ting, said Dominique McLaren, 27, of Conway Court. "I'm new to Milton. Being at home with a new baby, t thought it was a great way to meet people. For me, it was more of a social thing. I just needed to get out of the house." Among their peers, new parents of children aged up to six months meet every Tuesday from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at CHERISH Parent-Child Centre. Meetings feature either a guest speaker or a public health nurse from the health department. Participants leamn about infant feeding, talk about growth and development and discuss why babies cry. They also explore sale- ty, illness, immunization and other health concems. Ms McLaren started attending Calling New Parents meetings three months after giving birth to Rebecca, now six months old. "It was excellent. You get a lot of really valuable information. The members enjoyed it so much they started getting together at their own homes." She moved to Milton with her husband Doug (rom Toronto about a year ago. While most meeting-gocrs have been women, men have come and are always welcome, Ms McLaren said. And as current participants' children are getting older, new recruits are being sought. The program is free. The next six-month series of sessions will start January 6. The Halton Regional Health Department representative who runs the program couldn't be reached at press time. For more information, caîl the Baby and. Parent Line at 825- 6060, ext. 7837. We 've delivered a ton* let us d.eliver your message for as 14ttle as 3 * el KAEN -~ ù 'r qàRýff