Guide dog helps one man make his treks
Raymond Trevino is an average 68-year-old retiree. He enjoys his
fishing trips, likes to cook and regularly visits his friends. He
also likes to walk. From his home at Mission Oaks Mobile Home Park,
Trevino walks all around Hollister.
But for Trevino navigating around Hollister is an adventure few
people can understand.
Guide dog helps one man make his treks
Raymond Trevino is an average 68-year-old retiree. He enjoys his fishing trips, likes to cook and regularly visits his friends. He also likes to walk. From his home at Mission Oaks Mobile Home Park, Trevino walks all around Hollister.
But for Trevino navigating around Hollister is an adventure few people can understand.
Trevino is sight impaired. Getting around Hollister was once a chore, but with the assistance of his guide dog, Thorn – a yellow Labrador retriever – he can get anywhere. With teddy-bear soft fur, Thorn leads Trevino with a calm strength.
When Trevino travels around Hollister he doesn’t notice the deteriorated streets, traffic problems or inaccessible businesses. With Thorn, Trevino keeps his independence.
Despite Trevino’s ease with navigating the streets, Hollister does have its share of problems with broken sidewalks and pathways in need of repairs – which can make it difficult for people with other disabilities to get around. West Street is one roadway marred with cracks and crooked cement.
Federal laws have specific requirements for curbs and ramps, though it is unclear if all of Hollister’s crosswalks are in compliance. City officials did not comment on compliance and said it would take weeks to get figures on how much money the city has spent on upgrading public infrastructure. The Americans with Disability Act states that curb ramps be provided wherever a sidewalk crosses a curb.
Some people in wheelchairs have had problems in the past with maneuvering through Hollister, even in the downtown area.
Without Thorn, Trevino would have a much harder time getting around town. Only one signal, at the corner of Fourth and San Benito Streets, is audible for the sight impaired. Audible crossings allow the sight impaired to determine when it is safe for them to cross the street without assistance.
Thorn doesn’t let Trevino cross the street at other corners when traffic is coming. Trevino had no complaints about accessibility in the city.
“I like that the city has small streets, without a lot of traffic. It makes it easier for me to walk here,” Trevino said. “The curbs are a little high in some parts of the city, but it has become part of the training for Thorn. I look at the positives instead of the negatives.”
He’d have no problem recommending Hollister to many of his blind friends due to the accommodating nature of the town and the ease of access, Trevino said.
Occasionally Trevino will encounter a restaurant that is not familiar with accessibility laws. Some owners have concerns about allowing Thorn into eateries, but when Trevino shows them the certification he carries with him, they come around.
Patrick O’Donnell can be reached at [email protected].
