COPE founder Lesley Jane Boake holds five-month-old Beacon at Nantyr Shores Secondary School last week. Photo by Chris Simon Lesley Jane Boake is doggone proud she's made a difference in hundreds of lives.

The Nantyr Shores Secondary School teacher started Canine Opportunity, People Empowerment (COPE), a program that trains service dogs for people living with disabilities, about seven years ago. She originally began the program out of her own home, before receiving an opportunity to teach the course to students at Stayner Collegiate Institute. Then about five years ago, the program was moved to Nantyr.

"Five kids at Stayner Collegiate spent their summer holidays training puppies in my basement, that's where it started," she said, sitting in Nantyr's main office last week. "We wanted to be more centralized (to the Simcoe County population), so that's how we came to be at Nantyr. I've been able to combine my teaching career with my passion for helping people with disabilities through service dogs."

About 140 students have completed the program, since it began. Dogs have also been granted to 20 families, providing essential aid to disabled residents.

For that effort, Boake received the Order of Ontario, along with 29 other people, during a ceremony in Toronto recently.

"Being nominated for this award was a real eye opener," she said. "We started this organization from scratch, and it's been (successful) through the work of many volunteers. I really hope it's going to bring more awareness to the program, and what it can do for youth and people with disabilities."

Boake was surprised by the recognition. She hopes the honour will help promote COPE, and increase donations and sponsorships.

"From increased independence through physical tasks which people with disabilities are unable to do on their own ... and increased motivation to get out into the community a bit more, a dog gives them the confidence," she said. "You've got unconditional love from these animals 24/7. People who benefit from these dogs are so grateful for this being around. The program works."

But Boake is an incredibly worthy recipient, says Grade 12 student Rikki Brown.

Brown has either taken the course, or volunteered to help train dogs, since Grade 9. At the time, she was often skipping classes, and cared little for the daily grind of secondary school. She was recruited for the program, and quickly began to show more interest in school.

"In Grade 9, I had a terrible skipping problem," said Brown. "I hated school.

Teachers) knew I had problems, and they wanted to help and keep me in school. It helped, it really did. It's an amazing program. (Boake) is probably one of the best teachers I've ever had. She's lets you do things at your own pace, but makes sure you get it done. She's laid back, and explains everything really well."

For more information on COPE, visit www.copedogs. org.