Graduate Team: Carolyn and Yola
About the Team: Yola: female black Lab; Carolyn’s 2nd Guiding Eyes dog
Hometown: Buena Vista, Virginia
Training: January 2025 On-Campus
Carolyn became an author later in life, writing inspiring books grounded in her faith and reflecting on living with blindness. She started writing at age 50, when her vision loss was increasing. She needed to learn to use assistive technology, such as speech recognition software and Braille. She sensed a divine push to start writing, not just to uplift those living with disabilities, but to inspire others as well, as she recognized how God had supported her. Among her many published works are two books that begin a series titled “Guide Dog Tales.” These devotionals intertwine her personal experiences with blindness, the gift of her guide dog, and scriptures. She also writes for ibelieve.com, a website focused on the personal experiences of Christian women. Carolyn is a speaker at Christian churches, women’s conferences, and similar events. She pursued certification in public speaking, even during a challenging three-month recovery after major spinal surgery. When she could walk again, she felt uplifted and motivated to embrace movement and enjoy walking once more. Carolyn is married to her wonderful husband, Tim, and today, she is an avid walker, enjoying walks with Yola and her retired guide, Iva, because having a set of eyes to help guide her path is a great thing.
How would you describe your guide dog? “Yola is full of life, loving, spunky and loyal. I looked up the meaning of the name Yola, and it means ‘mountain violet’. I’ve only been home with Yola for a few weeks, but we’re doing fine. Yola and I are working on getting familiar with some routes around my home area. Now, my retired guide, Iva, and Yola love playing tug of war together and chasing each other.”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “I met another blind author who was a graduate from Guiding Eyes for the Blind, and she lived in my area. It sounded good. I really like the Unifly harness that Yola came home with. We had our choice of harness type at the school.”
How has a guide dog impacted your life? “Having a guide dog has brought me more independence than I ever thought possible. I am able to go out and do things that I had not done in many, many years independently. It helped give me my life back. It was life-changing. They are such wonderful gifts. I find it easier to do things I want to do. Also, the relationship between a guide dog and handler is so precious, loving, and a loyal relationship.”
Were there any training highlights? “They modify the training for what you, the student, needs. For example, since I don’t use trains much, I didn’t ride a train with Yola. The most exciting thing for us was when Yola and I did the ‘traffic check’ where another trainer drives a vehicle relatively close. We practiced several times, having Yola stop me from crossing, and we all hugged and celebrated when we got it right. We practiced escalators, elevators, and stairs at a mall. One day, when we went into White Plains, the wind chills were low, but we liked having the sidewalks to ourselves. At the school, the chef is very nice and accommodating since I have food sensitivities. I am just looking forward to a good long working relationship with Yola like the 8 ½ years I had with Iva.”
DOB: 8/24/2022
Litter ID: 1YY22
Color/Breed: Black/Labrador
Gender: Female
Brood: Lava
Stud: Midnight
Littermates: Yorkshire, Yasmine, Yoki
Region: New Hampshire
Regional Puppy Instructor: Lisa Bumbalo
Puppy Raiser: Sandy & Kam Mun
Facebook: New Hampshire Puppy Raisers
I am grateful for the opportunity to have been Yola’s puppy raiser. From the very start she was reliable, hard-working, and fun loving. I think she enjoyed everything we did and was excited for each adventure. She loved going on outings with pups on program and also loved our daily walks and playtime with our dog, Jordy. Sunny spots to lie in and soft blankets were two of her favorite things when it was time to settle. Lyrics to a song come to mind when I think of Yola and her future partner… “Ahh, all the happiness you bring Well, it feels like I’ve opened my eyes again And the colors are golden and bright again And the sun paints the skies and the wind sings…” ~ Sandy Mun
Guiding Eyes for the Blind is approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (C) (3) tax-exempt organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.
Guiding Eyes for the Blind Federal Identification Number (EIN) is 13-1854606.
© 2023 GUIDING EYES FOR THE BLIND PRIVACY POLICY | ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT
