What a great weekend! I have put both days together on the blog because on both days I walked with Amber and her guide dog, Tommy. Let me tell you a little about Amber.
I met Amber about three years ago when I was researching my book, Out of Sight. I was writing about sports minded people who were either blind or partially sighted and Amber fit that bill. Amber is completely without sight and she is also a competitive swimmer. Currently, Amber is vying for a spot on Canada’s paralympic team going to London this summer. I really wanted Amber to walk with me on this segment of the White Cane Connections Walks, so I was quite happy to fit the timing in with her training and swim meet schedule. She is a very busy young woman. I hope that you will read more of her story in Chapter 8 of my book, Out of Sight.
On Saturday, our little group walked around the area of Millennium Place – a first class sports facility in Sherwood Park. Since last I saw them, Amber and Tommy have travelled extensively together and they make a good team. Nevertheless, I was curious at one point in our walk when Tommy stopped and began to look around him. He seemed nonplussed. We had come to a point where the path ahead was covered with sand and gravel. I imagine that to Tommy it felt like a dead end. He began looking around for another way through to the continuation of the paved pathway. I was struck anew by the amazing intelligence of this black lab. He was an excellent guide.
In the afternoon, Amber was participating in a swim meet, and Lyle and I wanted to go as spectators. Although I had written a little about Amber’s involvement in swimming, I had never actually seen her swim. We found a good spot on the viewing benches and Lyle described in detail what was going on. Amber’s parents were at each end of the pool to be her tappers, reaching out with a long pole to give her head a tap as she approached the concrete wall at the end of the pool. I was thrilled when amber easily won her 400-meter breaststroke heat competing against other swimmers who were sighted. Later she told her dad that she had swum so hard that even her teeth hurt!
On Sunday, we received a warm welcome in Drayton Valley. Local MLA, Diana McQueen and Mayor Moe Hamdon both joined our little group for the walk down the main street of town. I was very impressed by the audible signals on the traffic lights at each intersection. Well done, Drayton! Thanks also to Moe for treating us to ice cream when we gathered at the end of our walk. Thanks to everyone who joined me on the walks both in Sherwood Park and Drayton Valley. All in all, it was a great weekend.
The picture shows Amber and Tommy posing on the grass beside the path.
It was very interesting to hear about Amber. Nice to hear dignitaries walked with you in Drayton Valley, as they are the ones who can make a difference in the towns with lights etc.
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