CRESTVIEW — The Bouton family wants you to meet their newest addition.

Andros, a trained guide dog, is a black Labrador who will assist Chad Bouton, a 21-year-old with a progressive eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa. RP has left him with 10 percent vision peripherally, and he is legally blind.

VIDEO: Watch Crestview resident Chad Bouton shows how Andros, his guide dog, will help him get around>>

 Chad and his sister, Alexa, 19, were both diagnosed with RP at a young age.

 “First it attacks your peripheral vision then it attacks your central vision, until it leaves you completely blind,” Chad said.

Chad and Alexa are taking treatments to slow the disease’s progress, but there's no cure for RP.

“There is no surgery or no cure for it, because it is a mutated gene,” said Donna, Chad and Alexa’s mother.

Strength, determination

Chad and Alexa use canes to get around, especially during evenings, Donna said. 

Family and friends walk slightly ahead of Chad, who holds on to their elbows; that's how he knows when he needs to step up or down for curbs.

Donna said her children are her heroes for how they've coped with declining sight.

“I am beyond proud of my children for their strength and determination,” she said in an email.

Now, a little extra help is needed. Chad and his family reached out to Southeastern Guide Dogs, a Palmetto, Fla., non-profit organization that pairs visually impaired individuals with a trained guide dog.

In May, Chad stayed at the south Florida campus for 26 days, while he trained and bonded with Andros.

Through a donation from the Lions Club of Sarasota, Chad attended at no cost.

Ready for college

Chad returned to Crestview earlier this month and continues to bond with Andros, who's been trained since he was a puppy to help people get around safely.  

Androsguides Chad around objects in his path and warns him of approaching doorways or sidewalk curbs.

Chad, who majors in history at the University of West Florida, said he looks forward to having Andros with him in the fall.

Using a cane is not nearly as good as having a guide dog because a cane cannot detect limbs hanging down on sidewalks, Chad said. Plus, his cane gets caught on limbs, leaves and cracks in the sidewalk. Andros steers him away from path obstructions, his mother said.

Alexa doesn't have a guide dog, but her mother says she's interested in seeing if she can have one, too.

Donna said she is encouraged by what she's seen.

 “After watching Chad work with Andros, I have so much more confidence now,” she said. “I don’t worry so much … I know that he has got Chad.” 

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: COLLEGE-BOUND LAB: Crestview man gets extra help on campus

A group planning to revive the city's Hobo Festival has scheduled its next meeting.

The meeting is 6 p.m. July 1 at Laurel Hill City Hall, 8209 U.S. Highway 85 N., Laurel Hill. 

Volunteers are much needed, and they are welcome to attend. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill Hobo Festival Committee meeting set

A new nonprofit, 400 Paws Inc., is set on granting thousands of dollars to area animal shelters and rescues.

The group — whose goal is to get animals healthy and into permanent homes — is collecting annual memberships to benefit grants for area 501(c) 3 animal shelters and rescues. At the end of the year, members will vote to decide which nonprofit organizations will receive these grants.

President and founder, Kim Cheney, started the charity this year. It’s based in Escambia County but reaches out to Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties, too.

Learn more about 400 Paws>>

A Needy Paws fund will aid suffering animals that need surgeries, special apparatuses or otherwise expensive comprehensive care.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: New charity raising money for needy animals

Proceeds from a charity date auction next month, sponsored by Kick It Like You Mean It, will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast.

The July 12 event, which begins 7 p.m. at the Lighthouse Amphitheater, 874 E. U.S. 98 in Destin, is free to attend. A paddle costs $5 to enter the bid for your potential next date.

Refreshments are available for purchase. In addition, raffles for prizes are scheduled. 

"This is a fun opportunity to support the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast, a place that believes afterschool programs keep children safe, inspire them to learn, and relieve working parents of worries about how their children spend their afternoons," a spokesperson stated. "Unfortunately, too many kids are left home alone in those critical out-of-school hours or on the streets where they are at risk and can be exposed to crime."

15.1 million children take care of themselves after the school day ends. After-school programs keep kids safe, help working families and inspire learning, according to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast

The organization serves over 1,950 youths across Okaloosa, Escambia, Santa Rosa and Walton counties.

Call 862-1616 and visit www.bgcec.com for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Charity date auction to benefit Boys & Girls Clubs

The Okaloosa County Commission on the Status of Women announces the 2014 Women’s Wall of Honor Honorees. 

These women have contributed to the well-being of our community's residents, a news release stated. 

The honorees are:

Bev Bain, Dr. Naomi Barnes, Becky Belcher, Sallye N. Belton, Regina Bright, Ginger Boyd, Ranae E. Curtis, Margaret Mae Garrett, Tammy Magee, Char McElderry, Christie Owens, Jackie Pilcher, Judi Rutland, Lisa Snuggs, Janie Varner, Ginger Walker, Ouida Winters and Carol Wride.

Honorees' names are placed on a plaque located in the library at the University of West Florida's Fort Walton Beach campus.

A nearby book contains a biographical page for each woman.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Women's Wall of Honor honorees announced

CRESTVIEW — It's been almost two months since historic floods washed out a number of Okaloosa roads.

But the News Bulletin has received a significant number of comments about one road in particular.

"Are there any plans to fix the washed out roads like Oak Hill Road in Northeast Crestview?" Joe Maneen wrote on Facebook.

"Any word from the city on when they plan on fixing Oak Hill Road off of Old Bethel?" Amanda Ledford said in an email.

"Okaloosa County, why have you not fixed roads, dams and water runoff areas after the historic flooding in April?" Todd Lawrence wrote in a letter to the editor. "Roads like Oak Hill are still impassable. They continue to erode every time it rains because of no action by the county."

County Public Works officials say there is no timeframe on when these roads will be repaired and reopened.

“I don’t have a status on when that road work will be done,” said Clay Simmons, county division manager over roads and parks.

The department is determining whether the road qualifies for repairs with FEMA or Natural Resource Conservation Service funding, he said.

In the meantime, county engineers are redesigning the road. 

“We want (the roads) to be able to withstand future flooding, if it should happen,” Simmons said.      

Simmons said his office has received a “handful” of inquiries about the roadway's repair status.

“For the most part, everyone seems to understand that we have a lot of road work to do since the storm,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ledford and her family wait.

 “There are a lot of residents that live on this road and (we are) having to travel quite a bit out of the way because of the road being washed out,” she said.

"… Spending more time and gas because of it."

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: County: No date set for Oak Hill Road repairs

CRESTVIEW — Residents have exceeded loved ones' expectations in showing their support for Mark Kempski, who died unexpectedly June 17.

Donations toward the Kempski Tires owner's final expenses already have surpassed $5,400 since a gofundme.com account for the case was started last Tuesday. 

“That just goes to show you how much he was appreciated,” Jennifer Rolling, a close friend, said.

Rolling, the business' bookkeeper, said Mark's generosity and ethical business practices will be remembered.

“He would give you the shirt off his back,” she said. “He was an honest business man and one of the best friends you could ever ask for.”

Baker resident Aaron Fountain, an independent contractor with FedEx, said Mark stayed friendly, even when busy.

“We did a lot of business together for the past three years,” Fountain said. “He would always ask how things were going (with me).”

The Industrial Drive tire-and-brake business' five employees are still in shock following the 36-year-old's death.

No cause of death has been confirmed, but Mark was known to take care of himself physically; he exercised at least five times a week at a local gym, friends said.

“I haven’t even slowed down to process it yet,” said employee, Michael Commee. 

Mark's two brothers live out of town; his daughter, Elizabeth and mother, Jackie, live in North Okaloosa.

“When people would find out that I am his mother, they would often tell how lucky I am,” Jackie said.  “It happened to me all the time.”

In addition to donating toward funeral expenses, customers have shown support by volunteering with business operations.

One regular customer offered to help run the front office; other customers have remained patient while the business temporarily closed following Kempski's death, Commee said. 

The business, which re-opened Thursday, will remain in operation, Rolling said.

After all, she said, “Mark would have wanted his community to continue to be served."

HOW TO HELP

Visit www.gofundme.com/af7abg to donate toward Mark Kempski's final expenses and express condolences

Want To Attend?

Mark Kempski’s funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 28. Visitation for family and friends begins at 10 a.m., followed by a funeral service at Central Baptist Church, 951 S. Ferdon Blvd., Crestview. Davis-Watkins is handling arrangements. The family asks that donations, in lieu of floral arrangements, be made toward funeral costs.

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Residents remember business owner, son following unexpected death

CRESTVIEW — Deb Edwards wants to see the Emerald Coast Wildlife Zoological Park light up this winter.

Edwards, a volunteer at the Deer Springs Drive zoo, is planning a family-friendly holiday event featuring a Christmas light display.

But she'll need sponsorships to make it happen, and time is of the essence.

Christmasdonebright.com, which offers a variety of large animated light displays, is offering 20 percent off online orders until June 30.

“We are hoping to get some sponsorship,” Edwards said. “We don’t want to take any money out of the general fund.”

Edwards asks that potential sponsors contact her before making online purchases.

In addition to lights, the zoo seeks a volunteer-licensed electrician to install additional electrical outlets throughout the zoo.

The Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation, education and rehabilitation of Florida wildlife, owns and operates the zoo.

Offering community events like the planned Christmas outing and April's Easter Egg-stravaganZOO — during which, residents could visit with the Easter bunny and decorate eggs — is part of a goal to help the zoo expand.

“We don’t think small; we have big dreams for this place,” Edwards said.

“We want to bring in more exhibits and more animals.”

HOW TO HELP

Contact Deborah Edwards, mknbkn4u@cox.net or 685-9014, if you're interested in sponsoring zoo lights at the Emerald Coast Wildlife Zoological Park

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Zoo seeks sponsors for Christmas light display