(Victorville Valley Press)  

Sarah Meeks spent her 18th birthday jumping off the top of Las Vegas' Stratosphere hotel and casino three times before she decided to call it quits.

"I love heights, and jumping 850 feet off the Stratosphere was nothing compared to jumping 14,000 feet out of a plane," said Meeks, 19, who considers herself an adrenaline junkie.

Partially blind from birth, Meeks said her mother would trick her into riding white-knuckled roller coasters by telling her daughter that there were no loops or twists.

"That is when I began to feel my first rush of adrenaline," said Meeks, who also loves the thrill of bungee jumping. "I just love the feel of going fast."

Meeks, who weighed one pound and four ounces at birth, was born with Retinopathy of prematurity, a disease that affects blood vessel development in the retina.

"I'm totally blind in my left eye, and I have some sight in my right," Meeks said. "It's been a
challenge, but it's all about attitude and believing in yourself."

On Sunday, Meeks walked the stage with her guide dog, Wizard, during graduation ceremonies at Guide Dogs of the Desert, a nonprofit training center near Palm Springs which was founded in 1972.

Meeks and her black Labrador retriever joined six client-dog teams as they spent 14 days training at the center, becoming acquainted with each other and building levels of confidence.

"I would say trust is the key ingredient when it comes to a client working with a guide dog," said Kim Laidlaw, director of public relations with the center. "When a client finally learns to trust their lives in the paws of an animal, that is when the bonding begins."

At the center, Meeks and her classmates worked with their canine companions as they navigated residential and business areas, rode buses and trains, used elevators and stairwells, and worked their way through restaurants and shopping malls.

The class also learned how to go through security at the Palm Springs International Airport.

"It's very gratifying to be able to provide dogs to our clients, so they can appreciate the special freedom having a dog brings," said Roccie Hill, executive director of the center.

The center's 3:1 client/instructor ratio allows students to have a high level of one-on-one training, Laidlaw said.

"We also spend time matching the right dog with the right client," Laidllaw said. "We matched Sarah with a dog that has lots of energy because Sarah is an active person."

Meek's biggest challenge with having a guide dog was the responsibility of grooming and training Wizard on a daily basis, and keeping her canine partner on a strict feeding and relieving schedule.

"After spending so much time with the trainer, Wizard had a hard time focusing on me," Meeks said. "But that will change over time."

Meeks, who graduated from Sultana High School in 2011, said she plans on being a Braille instructor to pour into the lives of others, as people have poured their lives into her.

"I think Wizard will also give me more confidence in my social life, but I don't think he'll be jumping out of planes with me," Meeks said. 

By Jack & Ruth Carey  

What is the question that Puppy Raisers hear all too often? Yep, that one "How can you ever give them up?"

The one usually answered with tears in the Puppy Raisers eyes. In reality, what can be an even tougher issue for the Puppy Raiser is when that puppy, into which they have put so much love, time and work, is disqualified from Guide Dog work. Then what...? We recently experienced so many emotions, as well as great disappointment when that happened to our puppy.