At home, Dick Pomo is laid back. On the golf course, he can be intense. Dick was born legally blind, and lost the balance of his sight eight years ago. Blindness and an occasional lousy shot, has yet to discourage him from playing golf.
For the last 30 years, co-workers and friends have been spotting golf balls for him. In 2002, Dick became a member of the United States Blind Golf Association (USBGA). Guiding Eyes for the Blind hosts the “masters” Invitational for the USBGA as part of a two-day major fund raiser. Dick's performance at the USBGA Nationals earned him an invitation to compete at the masters, held yearly at the Mount Kisco Country Club. Dick was particularly impressed with the treatment he received from the other blind golfers and the Guiding Eyes staff.
Since his first experience with Guiding Eyes, it was inevitable that Dick would seek one of their world renowned guide dogs. Tanya is a mellow, yellow, female Lab with the kind of expressive face that everyone falls in love with. When Dick first met her, she was reserved. Dick was also apprehensive and asked himself if he wanted this responsibility. He wasn't quite sure. However, as it turned out, they were destined to be together.
Training was tough for both Dick and Tanya and took lots of energy. There were many commands to learn. Time spent on the streets of Manhattan and in the subway with Tanya, taught him to develop a sense of trust and to be alert. With Tanya in harness, they are a working team. Out of harness, she is the goofy family puppy.
By lifting the limitations on Dick's life, Tanya has allowed Dick to experience freedom on a whole new level and to set goals for himself. “Sighted people take for granted the times they drive in their car, alone. They have the opportunity to listen to music, and the opportunity for thought and contemplation,” says Dick. With Tanya by his side, Dick is now able to walk alone, and to enjoy the smells and sounds that surround him. She has given him, and Sharon, a new found sense of independence.“It takes time to build that bond between you and your guide dog,” according to Dick. Dick and Tanya are well on their way, for he can't imagine life without her.
As an ambassador for Guiding Eyes, Dick gives presentations and seminars on how a guide dog/human team works; how it can provide assistance to the sight impaired and what is involved in their raising and training. He marvels at the families who raise these dogs for 18-20 months and then give them up. He has the ongoing pleasure of staying in touch with the family that raised Tanya.
Dick and Sharon have moved to a retirement community in Arizona where they have made many new friends. Everyone asks about Tanya, before they ask about Dick. Tanya is the hit of the neighborhood.
According to Dick, “I walk a little taller these days (if such a thing can happen to a guy just a little over five foot eight)” He moves with more confidence and takes a great deal of pride that the Guiding Eyes for the Blind logo is visible on the handle of Tanya's harness. He looks forward to his ongoing relationship with Guiding Eyes – a group he considers to be family.
“The wagging tail of a Lab that often clears the coffee table; my four-legged alarm clock that tells me to get up; or the playful “off duty” pup who races around the house with that slipper that she shouldn't have, brings delight to Sharon and me.”
For the third consecutive year, the Guiding Eyes for the Blind Golf Classic will be hosted by everyone's favorite quarterback – Eli Manning.
Beginning on Sunday, June 14, 2009, fourteen of the top United States Blind Golfers Association members (including Dick) will compete at the Mount Kisco Country Club for the coveted Corcoran Cup, named after Fred Corcoran, a sports promoter who made remarkable achievements in the golf world. Dick won the Cup in 2005. Participating golfers are allowed to have his or her own coach (Sharon is often Dick's coach), who is permitted, according to USBGA rules, to aim the player, estimate yardage, and read greens. Anyone who plays golf understands that even with this assistance, hitting the ball without benefit of sight requires extraordinary skills. Their motto - “you don't have to see it to tee it.”
Monday, June 15, 2009, will be a sponsor-supported event, distinguished by some notable features:
Sighted recreational golfers play on two courses – Mount Kisco Country Club and Whipporwill Club (Armonk). Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served.
Eli Manning will visit with foursomes on both courses and participate in the concluding dinner.
The USBGA players will join the foursomes for several holes, and sighted recreational golfers will have the opportunity to hit a ball while blindfolded.
Guiding Eyes dogs and trainers will pose with foursomes for commemorative photographs.
Sponsorship and support opportunities are still available for this event.
Contact Michelle Brier at 914-243-2208.
About the author:
SHERRY BENNETT WARSHAUER is an award winning author of two non-fiction books, Everyday Heroes and Tails of the Heart. Both of these books detail the extraordinary and heart warming experiences of dogs trained by Guiding Eyes for the Blind. In addition to her writing non-fiction about these dogs, she writes children's books and raises and trains service dogs for Guiding Eyes. She makes her home in Stamford, with her husband and the therapy dog they have raised.
About the column: “K-9 HEROES”
This column is written as a living tribute to the extraordinary dedication and courage of dogs and people. We call these dogs “heroes” because of their work as guide dogs for the blind, crime fighters for the Connecticut State Police, search and rescue dogs as well as therapy dogs. The boundless effort these dogs continue to make to improve the lives of those they serve illustrates how one person's life can be dramatically changed by the love and help of a dog.
About Guiding Eyes for the Blind
Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in 1956 to enrich the lives of blind and visually impaired men and women by providing them with the freedom to travel safely, thereby assuring greater independence, dignity and expanded horizons of opportunity. Since that time, Guiding Eyes has become one of the foremost guide dog schools in the world, graduating more than 7,000 guide dog teams. It provides superbly bred Guiding Eyes dogs, professional training and follow-up support services to students at no cost to them and depends on contributions to fulfill its mission. The comprehensive cost of breeding, raising, preparing, training, and supporting a Guiding Eyes team is $45,000. Guiding Eyes for the Blind's Headquarters and Training Center is located in Yorktown Heights, New York and the Canine Development Center is in Patterson, New York. Visit them at www.volunteer.guidingeyes.org or call 866-GEB-LABS for additional information.
