Graduate Team: Rebekah and Kokomo
About the Team: Kokomo, a female, black Lab is Rebekah’s 3rd Guiding Eyes dog
Location: Ossining, New York
Training: May 2025 On Campus
Rebekah grew up in Virginia and West Virginia. After graduating from college, she combined her love of coffee with her entrepreneurial spirit and marketing education by opening a coffee shop in WV. Later, Rebekah relocated to New York, where she initially became part of the Guiding Eyes community as a client, then became a valuable member of the staff. Today, Rebekah is Director of Donor Relations, and in that role, she works with individual donors who wish to extend their philanthropy to support the life-changing gift of providing guide dogs for those with vision loss. In addition, Rebekah and her guide dog serve as ambassadors for Guiding Eyes, attending events and spreading awareness about the mission. In her free time, Rebekah enjoys traveling near and far, baking for family and friends, drinking a good cup of coffee, and listening to audiobooks while crocheting simple projects. Rebekah loves staying active through plenty of walks with Kokomo and by tandem biking, running, and kayaking with her husband, Adam. She looks forward to keeping fit with Kokomo, who is trained as a Running Guide.
How would you describe your guide dog? “Kokomo’s name perfectly reflects her personality. She’s got an easy-breezy attitude, is happy and affectionate. She loves to join me in my bean bag chair as I enjoy my morning coffee, showering me with kisses and rolling over for belly-rubs. Kokomo is mellow and well-mannered at home; however, she is always ready to work, up for an adventure, and is a quick learner. She enjoys targeting things for me and wags her tail excitedly when she knows she has been successful. Like my previous guide dogs, Kokomo is an excellent guide. I am enjoying getting to know her and discovering the qualities that make her unique.”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “My husband and I relocated to NYC in 2012. I worked with an Orientation & Mobility instructor and learned to navigate the city using a long cane. A colleague at the time had a guide dog from Guiding Eyes, and they suggested I may want to consider getting one. While thinking about their advice, I got disoriented after a snowstorm on my way to work in the city and realized it was the right time to apply for a dog of my own. Since then, my fantastic guide dogs and the dedicated and friendly people behind them have kept me loyal to Guiding Eyes and passionate about the work I now do for the organization.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “Prior to progressively losing my sight, I was accustomed to walking and navigating my life at a certain pace. I wanted to regain that pace and continue to live life on my terms. There are many emotions associated with losing one’s vision, including denial, anger, grief, and eventually acceptance. I credit my guide dogs with helping me navigate my environment and emotions. Once I received my first guide dog, I felt like myself again with a newfound sense of freedom and confidence that came from feeling safe and walking at my natural speed. Kokomo is a partner that I know has my back, and we can enjoy all of life’s adventures while smiling together!”
Were there any training highlights? “I lived on campus with Kokomo for the first week of training to experience the training and hospitality extended to all clients and get to know my classmates. It is such a caring and supportive environment! My instructor was flexible and patient as I worked through the early stages of partnering with my new guide. From my initial application years ago to being a staff member, I am impressed and grateful for the level of kindness and respect Guiding Eyes extends. Each client is treated as a unique and intelligent person with depth, experiences, and goals. Besides getting Kokomo, a highlight for me was meeting her puppy raisers. Kokomo’s raiser, with the support of her 3 adult sons, did an amazing job! Kokomo was treated to car rides while listening to her signature song, ‘Kokomo’ and the family owned a pub, so she’s an expert at public interaction. She was sent off to the Guiding Eyes campus with a party of 100 people wishing her well. She and I have a whole community cheering us on!”
DOB: 1/30/2023
Litter ID: 8K23
Color/Breed: Black/Labrador
Gender: Female
Brood: Viv
Stud: Oreo
Littermates: Kodiak, Kai, Kingston, Knight, Kasha, Kettle, Krypton
Region: Remote
Regional Puppy Instructor: Leslie Stephens
Puppy Raiser: Eileen Dorian & Family
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Raising Kokomo was pure joy! To borrow from the Beach Boys tune, “we’ll get there fast and then we’ll take it slow.” No matter what speed you choose, good luck to Rebekah and Kokomo! ~ Eileen Dorian and family
