How did it all start?

First I was looking after a puppy. Recently he’s almost a grown-up guide dog. Gradually I was getting more and more involved into the activities of the training school in Brno, when eventually a need arose to found let’s say „service organisation“ that would support the school plus take over some of its activities. I was experienced with working for a non-profit organisation so I took the resposibility for that. We aswell contacted a blind girl that knows her way well through the social area.

What was the plan?

The original intention was just to provide support to the blind people through our guide dogs. Soon, however, we broadened our portfolio according to real needs of our clients. One of the first additional activities was setting up a „day room“, which is a meeting place for blind people to gather and exchange their experience. At first there were really poor conditions, but it’s much better now. These days we aswell do social consulting, try to find suitable solutions for difficulties our clients might meet.

How much have you grown, what kind of things is the association doing now?

Now, one of the common activities is so called „routing“. This means showing a new way to a blind person in case, for example, the location of their studies changes. We also send our people to help with important appointments and meetings, with commuting. We try to help in case a guide dog suffers some kind of illness.

That sounds like a lot of work. Do you ever have some freetime?

Major part of our work is focused on free-time activities. First we had „Club Fridays“, then since 2004, when we got registered, there have also been regular weekend events. One of the biggest seasonal events is one-week training camp originály held in Zbraslav, now it is Oaza resort in Hodonin. This year there are even two courses of this camp. The participants are 20-25 blind people with their dogs, Milan then brings some more dogs in order for them to be properly trained. Moreover, every blind person has a matching guide, a person, who is able to see. These are volunteers found among students, dog caretakers and other soulmates. A steady group has been established so we know we can rely on these people. Unfortunatelly, we cannot do all the activities we would like to – we used to go walking around Brno too, but cannot do it anymore as there are not enough volunteers.

What's the programme of such camps? Such mixed up groups calls for a special kind of activities to be enjoyable for everybody...

We would of course make different trips in the surroundings, we do ussual camp activities just a bit adjusted though so that they would fit our purpose. Moreover we hold a special kind of competition which forms the peak of the whole camp...

What is it about?

It is called „A walk in the dark“ and we organise it together with SONS subsidiary in Blansko. In fact it is a hurdle-race for a blind person and their guide dog. The performance and the points are taken care of by a referee. Aswell, we regularly take part in annual qualification for the guide dog national championship.

That sounds interesting. Have you been successful so far?

Well, you might call it that. The very dog that spend his puppy years with me was quite successful.

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