Garry Beaudry has been a Lion for 24 years and has held executive positions for nearly half of that time. Within a year of becoming a Lion, he was introduced to LFC Dog Guides and has been an active advocate ever since.  

As a parent of a child with disabilities, he understands the challenges that face many of the people that Dog Guides give assistance to and has been an advocate for them for close to 30 years.  

In both his professional and Lions career, Garry has held numerous positions of Leadership.  

When not advocating for LFCDG or serving his community taking part in Lions projects, you can find Garry at his favorite lake spending time with family and friends, boating and fishing. You can connect with him at boardchair@dogguides.com  

Angela Sharbot joined the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides Board as Director for Manitoba, Northwestern Ontario, Nunavut in 2019. She served as Chair of the Board from 2022-2024 and is a member of the Executive, Governance and Nominations, Finance and New Building Committees. She also attends both the National and Ontario “The Difference” capital campaign fundraising committees for the building of our new school.  

As an active member of the Lions Club of Atikokan since 2004, she has served as President, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Chair, Walk for Dog Guides organizer and more. She is a Past District Governor (2012-2013), Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow and recipient of several Lions International medals, awards and certificates. Angela is a Faculty Development Institute graduate, has served as faculty for District Governor Elect training, Regional Lions Leadership Institutes, Emerging Lions Leadership Institute and has a master’s degree from Lions University. She serves on the District 5M-10 Cabinet.  

Angela has a diploma in Municipal Administration. Retired from paid work, she was the Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk for the Town of Atikokan and for Quetico Centre the Chief Operating Officer among other positions. She is active in her church and serves in several leadership capacities. Angela is married to Perry for over 45 years. They have one son and two grandchildren. 

Angela enjoys gardening, reading, bike riding and making quilts to giving to others in need along with other philanthropic activities. 

“Dog Guides change lives. Testimonies from recipients, their family, friends and community has touched my heart many times. This makes me feel very honoured and humbled to be able to serve on the Board of Directors to assist in keeping our Foundation viable, strong and proud well into the future.” 

Lion William (Willie) Brown serves as the Board Secretary of the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides. His other board duties include leading the Governance team with a focus on policies and procedures, and as a member of the Executive Committee.  

A resolute member of Lions International for 37 years, he has held various executive and committee chair roles, including that of District Governor in 2012-13.  He is Vice President of the Russell and Area Lions.  

Willie is consistently an advocate for the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides, from chairing the fundraising committee for the annual walk to promoting the organization at both provincial and federal levels, sharing his passion and knowledge with his vast network, be they Lions or associates.  

In addition, Willie is chairperson for his community’s foundation, which supports local nonprofit organizations through philanthropy and grants, as well as overseeing a bursary program for local school graduates.  

A lifelong dog enthusiast, Willie began his journey in animal welfare by volunteering at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) in his hometown of Dundee, Scotland, at the age of 14. His involvement with Dog Guides was sparked years ago when a fellow Lion became a client with a vision dog.  

He has seen first-hand how much of a difference the Lions Foundation of Canada Service dogs make in the lives of clients and is determined to see our foundation continue to be the best it can be.   

Residing in Russell, Manitoba, Canada, he is a father of two and a grandfather of five, a certified electrician and currently a certified building code official CBCO Canada. When time allows, he can be found checking out various golf courses or working on his acreage.  

If you wish to learn more about the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides reach out to him.

Past Council Chair Lion Paul Cousins has been a member of the Kensington Lions Club for 44 years. Paul has been chairperson of many committees, and has held offices at the Club, District and Multiple District level. Paul has been involved in the Kensington Lions Club Lions Foundation of Canada Walk for Dog Guides for the past 10 years.   

Paul was elected to the Lions Foundation of Canada DOG GUIDES as the Prince Edward Island Director in 2022 and will be completing his 3-year term in October of 2025.  

Paul retired in 2004 after serving 25 years as a Municipal Police Officer.  Paul does part-time security work for the Canada Revenue Agency.   

Paul has been married to Lion Theresa for 39 years and they have two children and two grandchildren. 

Bill Bruhm is a semi-retired school administrator and teacher with over forty-two years’ service in the province of Nova Scotia. Having worked in public schools with large numbers of students with very specific learning needs, he is very aware of the support provided by our Dog Guides and the difference that support makes on the lives of students and their families. Advocating for the needs of children has been a focal point of Bill’s working life. 

Bill has served on several local and provincial boards including the Nova Scotia Teachers Union and various Lions Clubs committees including serving as District Governor for Nova Scotia. He has worked with many groups to define their goals for their organizations and develop action plans to reach their goals. He also holds the designation of Lions Certified Instructor, which is the highest training level achievable in Lions Clubs International. 

Bill met his first Dog Guide ten years ago while traveling on a transit bus in Toronto. While chatting with the dog’s client, he learned about the impact that having a dog guide made on the client’s life, including being able to have a well-paying job, contact with his family and the ability to move back into his community. He asked Bill to tell his story to as many Lions as he could and to thank everyone for giving him back his life. Serving as a Director for the Board gives Bill this opportunity to do just that. 

When Bill isn’t volunteering with community and provincial groups, he enjoys working in his yard and growing orchids. He has three grandsons under the age of four who like spending time with Grampy. 

Being selected to serve as a Director for the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides is a great honour. He would be happy to meet with any Nova Scotians who want to learn more about the Foundation and takes every opportunity to encourage Lions to support the great work we do. 

Susan Sangster is a seasoned accountant with over 30 years of experience in Corporate Management of Financial, Business and Human Resources in the Environmental Service and Auto Parts Distribution Industries. 

As a passionate advocate for service to those in need, Susan brings a unique blend of expertise in managing resources, and enthusiasm for growth to the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides. 

With a background in Business and Financial Management, Susan has held leadership roles at Atlantic Purification Systems as CFO for 7 years. After returning to New Brunswick she fulfilled a further leadership role for 26 years in the Auto Parts Service Industry as CFO of Auto Machinery and General Supply Company Ltd.  Her business acumen assisted with corporate extension helping to build the corporation from a single location in Fredericton to 8 locations in the Atlantic provinces. Susan’s vision and organizational talents contributed to the successful business growth. 

Her vision and commitment to service in the areas of managing financial and corporate resources have the potential to be an invaluable asset to any team. 

Susan joined Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides because she believes that the special service that dog guides provide must be given every opportunity to continue to grow and expand their unique ability for service at no cost to the recipient while maintaining their Canada wide identity with a personal connection to Lions service. From childhood experiences to professional milestones, Susan’s dedication to Lions Clubs International service and by extension the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides is deeply rooted in her personal service journey. 

Outside of the boardroom, Susan has been an active member of the volunteer community for most of her life, beginning in her early teens with church youth groups and school student`s councils. 

In addition to her Lions activities, she has volunteered as a certified Level II Minor League Baseball coach, Minor League Baseball Association administration, with the National Girl Guides of Canada Public Relations and several professional associations. She has also volunteered with the Opal Group – providing and assisting with craft night with mentally and physically youth and young adults. She is an avid reader and loves Sudoku. 

Susan is an experienced presenter and is always eager to connect and share more about the work of the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides. 

Shane is a seasoned business owner with over 25 years of experience in customer service in the communications industry. As a passionate advocate for helping others, Shane brings a unique blend of expertise and enthusiasm to LFCDG. 

With a background in Communications, Shane has held leadership roles at Rogers, where their goal is to provide great customer experiences. Their strategic vision and commitment to providing the ultimate experience to clients have been invaluable assets to our team. 

Shane has held several roles with Lions Clubs International such as District Governor, Membership, Club Development. He has received several presidential medals for his outstanding volunteering. 

Shane joined LFCDG because they believe that there is a major need in the community for the assistance dogs. From childhood experiences to professional milestones, his dedication to LFCDG’s mission is deeply rooted in his journey. 

Shane has shown an exceptional commitment to giving back to the community through his volunteer work. Whether it’s dedicating his time to local charities, organizing events, or offering support to those in need. Shane’s dedication reflects a deep desire to make a positive impact. His selflessness and enthusiasm for helping others inspire those around him and serve as a reminder of the importance of community involvement. 

Outside of the boardroom, Shane enjoys camping and spending time in nature with his wife and their dog Dottie. They are also deeply connected to making a difference in the community. 

Shane is always eager to connect and share more about the work of LFCDG. 

Daryl Reinke became a Charter Lion in 1980 and has served for 44 years. He’s held all club positions and several District positions over the years. His life motto can be summed up by the words of a 1965 song by Ned Miller: “Do what you do do well boy, Do what you do do well. Give of your love and all of your heart and do what you do do well.” In his professional careers as a teacher/counselor and later as a law enforcement officer, Daryl has experienced the importance of, and the rewards in, giving from his heart in all that he does. 

Daryl’s interest in promoting Dog Guides stemmed from a court room experience some years ago when he witnessed a young person giving testimony being comforted by a Facility Dog. He is excited to serve on the LFCDG Board promoting the important role dogs can play in the lives of so many Canadians. 

In his spare time, Daryl enjoys woodworking, camping/fishing, and spending time with his children and grandchildren.