FREDONIA, Mercer County — The Harrisville Lions Club was honored recently with a Top Dog Award for donating $5,000 to Leader Dogs for the Blind. Only 47 clubs in the United States qualify for the award.

The annual Maple Lane Farm community-wide barn party for charity, in the Mercer/Jackson Center area, raised the funds from Lions Club officials of Butler, Volant, New Castle and Evans City, and from other party participants and area businesses. Bill Doyle hosted the event.

Jim Ivell of the Harrisville Club was recognized for his service as District 14-N Leader Dog chairman for more than 30 years. He placed 13 dogs in northwestern Pennsylvania during his tenure. Betty Ivell, his wife, received the award in his absence.

Training a dog costs about $30,000, though there is no cost to the blind individual. Clubs contribute 20 percent of the funds for the dogs.

The 2017 Maple Lane Farm Barn Party for Charity will be Sept. 9. For more information and tickets, call Bill Doyle at 724-679-8259.

For more information about the Leader Dogs for the Blind program, visit www.leaderdog.org.