Stories Of Second Sight

Profiling Graduates of the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind Inc.(r)




Table of Contents


Introduction	 3

Sead Bekric Hope In The Face Of Tragedy	 4

Michael Conway Free-Falling To Freedom	 6

Barry Dalrymple The Joys Of A Choice Well-Made	 8

Peggy Eason Big Success In The Big Apple	 10

Bobbie Mezei Experience Is The Best Teacher	 12

Jackie Mushington Building Speed On The Road Of Life	 14

John Ostlund The Assurance of "Blind Trust"	 16

Sheila Schneider Long-Awaited Access To The World	 18

Samantha Thomas "I Owe This Dog My Life"	 20

Mark Titus The Pride Of The Road Well Traveled	 22

About the Guide Dog Foundation	 24


					          Summer 2000

	In my more than 10 years at the Guide Dog Foundation, two questions about the Foundation's programs and services have stood out as the most commonly asked: What kinds of people use guide dogs?  
How does a guide dog make someone's life easier?
	The answers are simple and complex at the same time.  There is no typical profile for a guide dog user; we serve men and women, from teen-agers to senior citizens, from city dwellers to country folks, from homemakers to politicians.  To answer the second question, the dogs improve 
our consumers' lives by providing people who are blind or visually impaired with increased mobility and independence.
	But these answers cover just the tip of the iceberg.  Our consumers cannot, and should not, be summed up so simply.  Their life experiences are so rich and unique that hearing their stories can make a sighted person view his or her own life in a new light.  Our graduates' determination to follow their dreams - no matter their personal circumstances - is nothing short of inspirational.
	We serve people who have never seen the colors of a flower or a smile on someone's face, yet perceive beauty all around them.  We serve people whose lives have been turned upside down from loss of sight during adulthood, and they have turned that challenge into success stories strong enough to be motivational even to strangers.  We serve people who thrive despite an impairment that is unthinkable to most sighted people.
	As we embark on a building project to expand our campus, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind has compiled this series of profiles to introduce you to some of the remarkable individuals we serve.  By increasing our abilities to breed the highest quality dogs and train more "teams," we can provide the gift of "Second Sight" to more people than ever before.  I hope this cross-section of our consumers gives you a better understanding of why guide dogs are so valuable to so many important people.

					          Wells B. Jones, CAE, CFRE
					           Chief Executive Officer

Hope In the Face of Tragedy

Callout:
"It is excellent that the Foundation is expanding its campus. It will be wonderful to have more room to spend with the dog and to relax during the training program. The new patio will be wonderful."


Name: Sead Bekric
Hometown: 
Srebrenica, Bosnia; 
now Newport Beach, CA
Blind since: 
15 years old, 
innocent victim of Bosnian war
Age: 22
Occupation: 
College student at Fullerton College
Current guide dog: 
Franklin, a 4-year-old black Labrador


Most young people in America today cannot imagine what their lives would be like if they were living in a 
war-torn nation, nor could they imagine what their lives would be like if suddenly their ability to see was taken away.
	Sead Bekric, from Srebrenica, Bosnia, unfortunately knows what both are like. But in the midst of tragedy, hope greeted him.
	In Srebrenica, the war had kept the schools closed for three years. Sead, then 15 years old, spent his days obtaining food for his family and making sure they were safe. One afternoon, during an innocent soccer game, Serbian tanks fired at the field. Most people on the field were killed or wounded. Sead survived the initial massacre, but while aiding the wounded, he was hit in the cheek with a shell. His left eye was completely shattered and his right was severely injured.
	Sead's only hope for survival was a long journey to a hospital far away from his family. Living through the war was difficult enough for his mother and young brother; his absence would make it all the more tough to bear. Knowing that they would face more 
hardship if he left home, Sead refused to travel to the hospital and insisted on staying in Srebrenica.
	A CNN cameraman captured Sead's plight on film, and it was broadcast internationally to millions of viewers -one of whom was Californian Claire Maglica. Claire contacted a relief agency and saw to it that Sead - and his family - were brought to the U.S. so Sead could undergo treatment and escape the turmoil of his homeland. The Maglicas covered all of the expenses.
	Although Sead gained freedom from the war, he lost the one thing he thought he needed to enjoy that freedom: his vision. The Maglicas saw the frustration Sead experienced when he learned he would never see again. "When I learned 
I was totally blind," Sead recalls, "I felt hopeless. I was sure I would never be independent again."
	And so the Maglicas set Sead on a course to make the most of his life. He enrolled in a high school that had an excellent program for the blind, took courses in mobility training and learned Braille. He enrolled at the Guide Dog Foundation, where he trained with a guide dog and gained back his lost independence. 
	"For the first time, I was independent," Sead said after his graduation from the Guide Dog Foundation. "I knew then that everything I was able to do before, with sight, I still could do, without sight."
	Now 22 years old and a student at college, Sead gets about with Franklin, which he received, free, from the Guide Dog Foundation.  Sead's life is full of light and opportunities. He plans to work toward a law degree. He skis and rock climbs. He practices karate.  	
And he enjoys his freedom.

Sidebar:
"I was in a huge underground parking lot in Los Angeles. When we were about to leave the curb, I told my dog to go forward. He refused, and I didn't understand why. It turned out a person in a car just to the right of me had turned the lights to his car on. I didn't know there was a car there because I didn't hear the engine running. The dog knew something was going on because he saw the lights. All of a sudden, the driver turned on the ignition and backed up. The dog didn't move until the car passed by. He knew that it wasn't safe."



Free-Falling To Freedom

Callout:
"I think of the three-and-a-half weeks that I spent at the Foundation as the time that I started my life."

Name: Michael Conway 
Hometown: 
Massapequa, NY
Blind since: 
Age 22, due to complications 
from diabetes
Age: 41
Occupation: 
Charter Financial Consultant at Conway, 
Langley and Associates, 
a branch of American Express
Current guide dog:
Rocket, a 12-year-old black Labrador

Jumping out of an airplane at more than 12,000 feet is quite a daring experience for any person.  But it's a little more challenging when you are blind.
	Michael Conway can attest to that.  He has been blind for most of his adult life, and during that period he has jumped out of an airplane more than 40 times.  
He even received an award from the U.S. Parachutists Association for a four-point sequential dive.
	What made his first jump so poignant for Michael is his belief that he couldn't have done it without his guide dog.  (Rest assured, the dog didn't jump out of the plane.  "He would wait patiently on the ground," Michael laughs.)  Tessie gave him the confidence and security to be able to travel several hundred miles by himself to the only skydiving center that would work with a blind person.
	"It was outstanding to me that I could travel solo in the first place," Michael says.  "When I was free-falling, it was amazing that I had the freedom and mobility to have such an adventure in my life, even though I was blind."
	Michael lost his sight when he was just 22 years old.  He was undergoing a series of treatments to address his diminishing vision, the result of diabetes.  After one surgical procedure, he woke up blind. 
"I was devastated. It just destroyed my goals and aspirations," Michael recalls. 
	Thanks to his passion for life and 
an amazing support circle of family and friends, Michael was able to tackle this challenge head on.  He enrolled in a school for the blind, learned Braille, and came to the Guide Dog Foundation to train with 
a guide dog.  
	He was so enthusiastic and motivated about his future with a guide dog that he embarked on a 100-day fund-raiser, leading a hiking group along the Appalachian Trail from New Jersey to Maine, to benefit the Foundation. "Many people stepped to the plate when I lost my sight and offered to help me," Michael says.  "I want to be able to give something back."
	Today, Michael is a financial consultant, motivational speaker, and member of the Guide Dog Foundation's board of directors.  He gives lectures for civic clubs about disability awareness; he talks with high school students about the importance of setting goals; and he writes articles for magazines about his experiences.
	Michael's perspective on life can best be expressed through his love of vegetable gardening.  "I can reflect on the changes of the life cycle.  Changes don't necessarily mean the end of things, just that things will be different.
	"I think of the three-and-a-half weeks that I spent at the Foundation as 
the time that I started my life," he says. 
	For Michael, having a guide dog has enabled him to live an active, confident and exhilarating life despite his blindness.  "I can still participate in a high-speed sport and have feelings of freedom in where I am and what I am doing," he says. "That is what I feel when walking with my guide dog, although it's not at the same speed as 
a free fall."

Sidebar:
While attending college and walking across the campus, his dog stopped walking.  Michael twice gave the command to go forward, and twice the dog refused.  Michael proceeded on his own, and took one step.  He landed in wet cement.  "From that moment, I knew to always trust the dog," Michael says.


The Joys Of A Choice Well-Made

Callout:
"It is great that more people will be able to be served during the year with the same homestyle approach of smaller classes. The Foundation still will be like a home away from home."

Name: Barry Dalrymple
Hometown: 
Toronto, Canada
Blind since: 
Age 23, due to diabetes
Age: 39
Occupation: 
Rehabilitation teacher at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind
Current guide dog: 
Branwen, a 5-year-old female 
black Labrador

I t didn't take Barry Dalrymple very long to appreciate his first guide dog.  Barry lost his vision just after he graduated from college.  When he was working with an orientation and mobility expert to adjust to life as a blind person, a guide dog was the first thing he thought of.
	It was the right decision for him.  "I didn't like using my cane," he recalls.
"I was comfortable as soon as I had the dog.  I felt him weaving around all sorts of things, and it was wonderful to be walking at a normal pace.  I couldn't 
go that fast safely with a cane."
	When he returned to Canada from his training at the Foundation's campus in Smithtown, Barry signed on with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind as a rehabilitation teacher.  There, he teaches daily living skills, Braille, typing and keyboarding.  Many of the students he works with are newly blind; they range in age from teen-agers to senior citizens. 
	"I get a lot of questions from my students about working with a guide dog," says Barry, who has had three dogs from the Foundation.  "About half of the younger students have gone on to get a guide dog at one point or another.  For the older students, a guide dog isn't always ideal."
	But working with a guide is the way to go for Barry, because they provide mobility, independence, and even laughter.  Barry laughs when he recalls his dog's sharp memory.  "About five years after I moved from my apartment, I went back for a walk in my old neighborhood.  My guide dog automatically stopped at the bus stop where we used to wait for the bus on my way into 
work each day.  She knew exactly 
where she was."
	The seamless diversion around obstacles is one of the great benefits that Barry gets from working with a guide dog.  First, his dog confidently guides him around objects and potholes along his route; for Barry, this is much safer, quicker, and easier than using a cane.  
	"I get around a lot quicker with a guide dog, and that brings me a greater feeling of freedom than I got with a cane," Barry says.  "Now, half the time I don't even realize that there are obstacles in the road; my guide dog simply takes me down the safest path."

Sidebar:
"One morning when I left my house for work, the dog refused to walk down the sidewalk.  She wouldn't move at my commands to go forward.  Finally, she took me off the sidewalk and continued.  Then, she moved back to the sidewalk.  I later learned that a patch of the sidewalk had been removed, and there was a hole about a foot and a half deep. There was no barricade up.  The dog had led me around the hole so that we didn't get hurt."



Big Success In The Big Apple

Callout:
"The single rooms and private baths will be a 
. When you have a roommate, you don't want to disturb them; single rooms are more relaxing. I'll sleep better, and I'll be better prepared for the walks during training."

Name: Peggy Eason
Hometown: 
New York City, NY
Blind since: 
 Birth. Due to her premature birth, her optic nerve never developed
Age: 53
Occupation: 
 Social worker, professional singer, and keyboard specialist
Current guide dog: 
 Autumn, a 2-year-old female Golden Retriever

Those who think blindness is a debilitating impairment have never met Peggy Eason.  This New York City native is nothing short of a go-getter, and the fact that she has been blind since birth has never prevented her from achieving her goals.  Up to this point in her life, she has accomplished more than many people ever dream to do.  And she's not done yet.
	For starters, Peggy has three college degrees - a bachelor's in voice from the Manhattan School of Music; a master's in voice and music education, also from the Manhattan School; and a master's in social work from Hunter College.  
In addition to her "day job" as a keyboard specialist at the New York State Department of Parole, Peggy is a social worker with a private practice 
in grief counseling, and she is a professional singer working on a CD.
	Peggy trained with her first guide dog when she was 28 years old.  She had been a reluctant cane traveler; she carried her cane to identify her as blind, but she often didn't use it because she was frustrated by the slow pace she had to walk with it.  With her spatial vision, she could sense objects - but she still bumped into them.
	"Once I worked with a guide, I was amazed at the difference," Peggy says.  "I didn't have to count my steps anymore or look out for obstacles.
	"Where I live in Manhattan is a big challenge because there aren't traffic lights on every corner," Peggy continues, "and a lot of people in my neighborhood don't speak English.  It is difficult for me to ask for help.  But my dog and I bonded right away, and she has proven herself.  She handles the city noises well, and I am able to trust her completely."
	Peggy's confidence in her guide dog means that she can do more things, and go more places, quickly and independently.  And for a woman on the go in such a large and fast-paced city, that is very important. "With my guide dog, I can go for a walk in the park without fear," she says.  "I feel more safe and more secure when I travel with my guide. Now, there's no place that I won't go - all thanks to my guide dog."

Sidebar:
"We were walking in the city, and all of a sudden, the dog stopped. I gave the command to go forward again, and she sat down. I didn't know what the problem was, so I investigated.  I couldn't find anything that would give her reason to sit down.  Then a man from across the street runs over to tell me that a manhole cover was off not too far from where I was standing.  It wasn't close enough for me to feel it, but the dog knew it was close and going to be a danger."


Experience Is The Best Teacher

"It is very exciting that there is such growth at the Foundation.  It is great that there will be more areas for recreation for when we are on a break from the training schedule."

Name: Bobbie Mezei
Hometown: 
Clarksville, TN
Blind since: 
 11 years old, due to a brain tumor
Age: 24
Occupation: 
 Student
Current guide dog: 
 Tyler, a 6-year-old male 
yellow Labrador

When Bobbie Mezei lost her vision at age 11, it was a traumatic experience not just for her, but for her family and friends as well.  Together, they learned that adjusting and coping with blindness is easier said than done.
	Bobbie and her family spent time with various counselors and teachers, who tried to understand what they were going through.  It was frustrating for Bobbie that no one truly understood the emotions and concerns that she, her parents, and her friends were experiencing.  
	She made a resolution to herself then that she was going to pursue a career that would enable her to help others adjust to similar experiences.  Today, she is on track to meeting that goal, and her trusted guide dog, Tyler, is with her every step of the way.
	"I went through first year of college with a cane, and it was tough because there was so much traffic," Bobbie says.  "My cane broke four times because people bumped into it."  
	After some careful research, Bobbie came to the Guide Dog Foundation to train with a guide dog.  "When they told me I could say 'Find this classroom' and the dog would take me right to it, I was amazed," Bobbie recalls.  "I no longer had to walk in the hallway feeling the doors to know which room I was in.  Tyler really helps me see."
	A few years later - just a few months ago - Bobbie graduated from Tennessee's Austin Peay University with a bachelor's degree in social work, and Tyler was right by her side when she accepted her diploma.  She has applied to a master's degree program at the University of Tennessee, and hopes to continue her education there.  Her goal: to open a center that addresses the emotional issues people face when they or a loved one develops a disability.
	"I want to offer more than career placement and rehabilitation services for day to day life, such as how to vacuum or wash the dishes despite blindness," she says.  "I want to address issues that are just as significant, such as what to expect when a blind teenager starts dating.  I can offer a perspective than many counselors cannot, because I have experiences that my clients can build on; I see things from a disabled person's point of view."
	Bobbie's determination in part comes from the success she has achieved in her own life, and her strong belief that people can accomplish goals even if they have a disability - just take a look at her and Tyler.  "I have run into so many people in my life who feel there is nothing they can do," she says.  "They don't realize how many opportunities there are."

Sidebar:
"We were standing at a corner on the university campus, waiting to cross the street.  I heard two cars, but one had its radio so loud that I couldn't hear anything else.  I heard both cars go by, and gave the dog the command to cross the street.  The dog didn't move but I started going anyway; I knew I was supposed to wait for the dog, but for some reason I started to cross anyway.  All of a sudden, the dog jumped in front of me and pushed me to the right.  I fell on the ground and, as a result, missed being hit by three cars, which I couldn't hear because of that loud radio."


Building Speed On The Road Of Life

Callout:
"It is important for the students to be comfortable during the training program, because it is a stressful period. There is a lot going on. Having some down time is important, so you can relax."

Name:  Jackie Mushington
Hometown: 
Reisterstown, MD
Blind since: 
 Progressively lost vision since birth; 
doctors yet to determine why
Age: 25
Occupation: 
Teacher
Current guide dog: 
 Parke, a 3-year-old female 
black Labrador

Jackie Mushington disliked using her cane so much that one day, when she was 16 years old, she walked into a store, took a price tag off an item and put it on her cane, and left her cane in the store.
	"I had cane skills, but I wasn't a fast walker with a cane," Jackie recalls. "And I like to walk fast. I didn't like using my cane."
	After she graduated from college and settled down, Jackie decided to get a guide dog.  She noticed the benefits immediately - it was easier and safer 
to cross streets; she could walk much faster; and the dog could find alternate routes if there was an obstacle.  "When I used my cane, if I walked out of a building and people were sitting on the steps, I would bump into them.  Then I would have to wait for them to get up so I could continue.  Now, the dog just finds a different path."
	Jackie, who always wanted to work with children, is now a teacher. Her guide dog accompanies her to school each day.  While the students - second and third graders -- learn, Parke sleeps underneath her desk.
	"The first day of class is always exciting," Jackie says, "because everyone wants to know about the dog." She approaches the situation by being open and direct.  This puts the students at ease.
	"I sit down with the staff, and then the students, to talk about what the dog is for and the rules governing the dog," she says.  "It is the only day that the students can ask me anything they want."
	One question she was asked regarded the things she can do with a guide dog that she couldn't do before. "In high school, I ran track," she replied.  "When I finished high school, I stopped running because I didn't have anyone to run with.  Now, I am working on jogging with my guide dog.  She is going to love it.  I certainly couldn't do that with 
the cane."

Sidebar:
"I approached a corner and told Parke to go forward.  The light had changed and the traffic started.  As we stepped off the curb, she stopped, turned around, and pulled me back to the curb.  I was coaxing her to behave and cross the street, when the instructor who was with me explained that I should be praising her instead.  A bus had turned right in front of us; she took me out of harm's way."



The Assurance of "Blind Trust"

Callout:
"I am pleased that the expansion is possible to do. The plans are detailed and well laid out. I am very excited about it."

Name:  John Ostlund
Hometown: 
Cheyenne, WY
Blind since: 
 Age 57, due to diabetes
Age: 72
Occupation: 
Retired Wyoming state senator
Current guide dog: 
 Russ, an 8-year old yellow Labrador/Golden Retriever cross














My wife and I owned a grand ranch in the mountains west of Cheyenne.  After blindness came, I began to get depressed.  What I could not cope with was my absolute and total loss of independence.  Most of my time found me thinking of no longer driving, no way to look at livestock, no way to handle accounts, no reading. On and on, negatives piled on. 
	Every Thursday morning I was in the habit of driving to Cheyenne where I served on the Board of Directors of a bank.  With sadness, I told myself I should resign.
	Then something simple happened that more than shifted my attitude - it caused a positive, optimistic turnabout in me. That something was a black Lab guide dog.  
	The first time I ever walked with my guide dog in harness returned all the good feelings as I strode along the street.  Had I been granted a magic carpet to take me wherever I wished, I could not have felt better than I did.  The previous two years of shuffling along blindly, then with a white cane, had caused me to forget the barely discernable yet vivid pleasure of a swift walk by myself.
	My guide dog and I were a team.  Two creatures working was transforming, and in any situation whatsoever, I had the untroubled assurance of blind trust.  We were a terrific team.  He gave me back the independence I felt I had lost forever.
	As Jamie carefully guided me around the ranch, we added a smattering of new words to his vocabulary, such as corral, creek, auto gate, tack shed, barn, cows and horses.  For me, I began to feel there was hardly any limit to what I could do if I put my mind to it.  What's more, we were having fun.
	When Jamie was due for retirement, the parting was an emotional time for me.  This fellow had given me a new life and a new outlook, but he had more than earned his right to retire. So it was back to school in Smithtown for me, where I was to meet and partner up with a new blond fellow named Russ.
	Russ quickly learned the ranch routine, but we decided to sell and move into the capital of Cheyenne.  Now, at the age of 71, I am still busy each day going about my new life with my new dog.  Russ, following in Jamie's footsteps, is an honorary member of the Rotary Club and the Young Men's Literary Club; we go to the meetings together.  Like Jamie, he takes me to Board meetings at the Old West Museum and all the other places I need to go.
	Both Jamie and Russ have been lifesavers.  Of course, guide dogs are highly protective of their partner's every safe step, but it is the freedom they provide to go places, to be able to meet greet, visit and accomplish work that I prize - the liberty of independence.  And best of all, Jamie and Russ have lavished me with unconditional love.
	Who could ask for more?
This story was adapted from an article that John wrote for the February 1999 issue of 
"We" magazine.

Sidebar:
"At a dinner, I bragged about my dog's ability to find our car in a large parking lot.  With no fewer than 100 automobiles in rows outside, my friend wanted to wager the price of dinner that Jamie could not find our vehicle on the first try.  Hands down, we won the bet."


Long-Awaited Access To The World

Callout:
"The covered leash relieving station is great!  It will be so much better than standing out in the freezing cold snow.  When I was at class, there was a blizzard.  It was hard for the dog and me to stand outside."

Name:  Sheila Schneider
Hometown: 
Chicago, IL
Blind since: 
 Age 27, due to a genetic disorder
Age: 41
Occupation: 
Administrative assistant bookkeeper 
for a book publisher
Current guide dog: 
 Russ, a 5-year-old yellow Labrador

I have trouble cleaning my apartment because I can't see things on the floor.  How are they going to teach me to take care of a guide dog?"  That is what was going through Sheila Schneider's mind when she came to the Guide Dog Foundation to train with her first dog .
	Once she completed the program and returned home with Russ, her point of view was completely different. "Now," Sheila says, "I don't know what I'd do without my guide dog."


	At first, Sheila didn't want to admit that she had a vision problem.  "I was in denial, even though I was falling a lot and bumping into things," she says.  When she finally got a cane, she was frustrated because it didn't help her much, and she "wanted to do things by herself."
	One day, Sheila saw the Foundation's public service announcement on television, and that struck a chord with her.  "I knew that at some point I was going to lose all of my vision, and I didn't want my family to have to care for me for the rest of my life."
	And so Sheila contacted the Foundation.  And she believes that getting a guide dog is the best decision she has ever made.  
	"I never thought Russ would be the vision that I do not have anymore. And he is, completely," she says.  "I thought that even with a guide dog I would still fall and bump into things.  That doesn't happen anymore.  Russ has made an incredible difference in my life."
	With Sheila's newfound mobility and confidence, she and Russ take to Chicago.  "I pretty much walk or take the bus everywhere I go.  Now, I can travel quicker, and I feel safer.  And I don't fall on the stairs when I board the bus."
	But what is most special to Sheila about her guide dog is that he enables her to go places she never would have dreamed of going with a cane. "I never went anywhere at night by myself for about 10 years," she says.  "I was afraid I would not be able to get back home safely.  With Russ, I go everywhere I want to - even places where I haven't been in years. 
	"I go to the movies by myself now, even though the theaters are dark.  
I hadn't been to the movies in 20 years. For a movie buff, that alone is worth it."

Sidebar:
"Russ stopped in the middle of the street when a taxi came whizzing by.  If he hadn't stopped me from walking, we surely would have been hit."



"I Owe This Dog My Life"

Callout:
"You need private time with your dog, so single rooms will be wonderful. You can get to know your dog better before you go home.  This is especially important for first-time handlers."

Name:  Samantha Thomas
Hometown: 
Pine Level, NC
Blind since: 
 Her late teens, due to 
retinitis pigmentosis
Age: 30
Occupation: 
Full-time mom to two daughters
Current guide dog: 
 Dori, 3-year-old Golden/Lab cross

When I was in class getting Dori, I sometimes felt that maybe she would better serve someone else.  Do you want to know what changed my mind? 
	Shortly before I applied to the Guide Dog Foundation, I was almost hit in front of our local Wal-Mart because I didn't see a van and didn't hear it coming.  Then I learned of a person who has the same eye disease I have. He fell off a platform up north because he was too bull-headed to admit that he had a vision problem.
	After returning home with Dori, I was able to find my way around an airport that I had been to only a few times in my life.  It was only my second time at this particular terminal -- the first was my trip to New York to get a guide dog in the first place.
	I had been home with Dori only a short while when I was going into our little town's downtown area.  Dori stopped just before a drive-thru to the local bank.  I tried to give her the command to continue walking, but she refused to go.  A few seconds later, a truck came through the drive-thru road.  
	Dori had refused to go forward.  The folks actually stopped the truck to tell me how great my dog was.  Things like this have happened numerous times.
	The biggest day of my life with Dori happened two Halloweens ago.  I owe this dog not only my life, but also the lives of my children.  
	We were crossing the main road between our subdivision and the one across the street.  I had taken it upon myself to make sure both my children went trick-or-treating with their mom.  
It had been a long time since we had been trick-or-treating because of my vision.  I just couldn't see at night.   
	As we were crossing the street, Dori bolted me forward.  I had the stroller in my other hand, and my oldest daughter was hanging on to it.  Dori pulled us out from in front of a car that was going way too fast on a night when it should have been slowed down due to the children.
	After that night, I never again questioned my need for a guide.  I never would have heard the car or known it was coming had I still been using my cane.  It was scary.  Lord knows I tremble and almost get reduced to tears each time I think about it.
	Dori has opened up doors for me that I had closed upon myself and allowed my family to close due to my own fear.  Dori gave me my freedom back.  I will gladly deal with fleas, vet bills, scheduled feedings, shedding, etc.  I will take that every day and twice on Sundays if it means that I won't have to take that cane day in and day out.  
	So when you are wondering about if and why people need guide dogs, just listen to those of us who do work with our dogs.  It doesn't matter if we are totally blind or partially blind.  We all need help getting around.  Our dogs provide a service for that need.
	Dori is more than just a guide dog now.  She is actually closer to me than my best friend.  She means as much to me as my children and husband.  I wouldn't trade that  for anything in the world.
	But, the best thing is that, all things considered, we had a great Halloween that night.  Dori made it possible for me to do what a mom should do on Halloween.  And in her unique style, she saved our cabooses.



The Pride Of The Road Well Traveled

Callout:
"Having separate rooms for the students is a great thing because it allows for a better bonding experience between the dog and the handler."

Name:  Mark Titus
Hometown: 
Little Rock, AR
Blind since: 
 Birth, due to genetic disorder
Age: 25
Occupation: 
Program Producer at KARN Radio
Current guide dog: 
 Max, a 6-year-old yellow Labrador

Robert Frost may have touted the benefits of the road less traveled, but for Mark Titus, the road well traveled has often been the better path. 
	Blind since birth, Mark was having difficulty navigating his college campus, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.  "I was always tripping and running into people," he recalls. "I needed a cane to get around, but I was hard-headed and didn't want to use one.  I was tired of the perception associated with it, and of people treating me like a 7-year-old. I knew I wanted a guide dog."
	
	When he and Max first tackled the campus together, the results were eye-opening. "I saw the campus through totally different eyes. I found there were ways of getting around that I never knew were there before."  But what was most useful for Mark was the dog's ability to maneuver around obstacles.  Mark didn't realize that there were better ways for him to get around the obstacles he was encountering on his daily travels.
	"With a cane, I always went the road less traveled, because I didn't know any other way," he says. "With a guide dog, I realized they were less traveled for a reason. The dog showed me the best way to get around, and I had no trouble getting to where I needed to go."
	Mark now is a Program Producer at KARN Radio in Little Rock. As a sort of "electronic traffic cop," he ensures that all programs air properly, sees to it that satellite feeds come as they should, and handles weekday coverage of the Arkansas Razorbacks.  When he started along this career path, Mark learned that broadcasting is a competitive field, and he could not let his vision impairment push him down the ladder of success.  
	"Persistence and ambition have helped me get to where I am today in terms of my career. Blindness was a challenge I had to meet head on," he says.  
"I have learned how to roll with the punches of life."
	Mark's inner strength helped him tackle life's challenges, but he says he couldn't have done it without Max.  
"Max has really helped boost my confidence," Mark says.  "Recently, my mom moved upstate and I really had to really fend for myself.  With a cane, I couldn't get to the bank by myself because I had to cross a 5-lane street; I knew there were obstacles, and if I got stuck, it would be dangerous."
	So, now that he has Max, does 
Mark still back away from this road well traveled?  "Not at all," Mark declares, "because Max handles the route just fine."

Sidebar:
After having lunch at a food court, his friend forgot where the car was parked. After wandering the lot, they returned to the main entrance to start the search again. Max tugged Mark to the right. Mark followed until the dog stopped. He had stopped right in front of the car.




About the Guide Dog Foundation
Over 50 Years of Second Sight(r)

Since 1946, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc.  has provided guide dogs free of charge to people who are blind or visually impaired.  Our breeding program is known internationally for producing Labrador and Golden Retrievers that have the intelligence, sound temperament and gentleness that make these champion dogs ideal for guiding people who are blind.
All of our services, including guide dogs, transportation to our campus from anywhere in North America, room and board during the training program, and training, are offered free of charge.  In addition, we provide a lifetime of aftercare services to our consumers.  Because of our proven track record for success, blind students from all over the United States and several foreign countries come to our campus for training.
Our programs are made possible entirely through contributions from generous individuals, corporations and foundations.  The Guide Dog Foundation receives no government funding.  
In order to meet the increased demands for our programs and services, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind has embarked on an ambitious expansion of services, highlighted by a building project and campus development plan.  By increasing our capabilities to breed and train even more guide dogs each year, we will be able to provide the gift of Second Sight (r) to even more blind people who seek the independence and mobility that a guide dog provides.  For further information about the Foundation, and for naming opportunities, contact:

Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind Inc. (r)
371 East Jericho Turnpike
Smithtown, NY 11787
(800) 548-4337
 Fax (631) 361-5192
www.guidedog.org