Achieving Ultimate Vision

Seeing beyond your obstacles. By Chris Shafer. Photo by Clark L. Roberts

Clark Roberts comes to Coeur d'Alene from Western Washington at least twice a year. In the summer, he enjoys visits to his in-laws' cabin on Lake Coeur d'Alene where he goes waterskiing every year. Nothing out of the ordinary about that, right? Actually, it's rather exceptional because Roberts is blind. Jumping wakes and going full tilt is how he chooses to approach his life. “It’s no fun to stay directly behind the boat. Life is too short,” says Roberts.

From the beginning of his childhood, Roberts had problems with his vision and wore eyeglasses. Then while a freshman at the University of Idaho, the diagnosis came - retinitis pigmentosa. By the age of 24, he had lost his sight. His life was changed forever in a way he’d never imagined. Roberts says, “Uncertainty and challenges can come at any point in time and rearrange your life. You have two choices - stay a captive in your chair or accept what is and move forward, figuring out what you can still do, even though you may need to do it differently than in the past.”

As a professional speaker, Roberts shares his story with others. His non-profit corporation, Ultimate Vision, is based in Bellevue, Washington. Through his speaking engagements, Clark addresses people of all ages, sharing with them his unique perspective on how challenges may look to be insurmountable but truly are not. His goal is to help people embrace their potential, overcome obstacles and remove judgmental barriers.

Roberts does not work alone. He is assisted by his faithful service dog Arby, a yellow lab. Arby is Clark’s fifth service dog from Guide Dogs for the Blind. He was raised in Spokane by a puppy-raiser, a volunteer with Puppies of Promise, a guide dog puppy raising group. According to Roberts, having service dogs has given him much more freedom and confidence. “It was like someone gave me keys and said you can go where ever you want and whenever you want.”

Recently Roberts and Arby have been on this side of the Cascades visiting for the holidays. Also, Wags to You: Short & Long Dog Tails, Robert's book, is hot off the press, so this dynamic duo has been attending book signing events here in Coeur d'Alene and Spokane.

If you missed Clark and Arby on their visit this time around, just wait until summer and watch for a yellow lab looking on from a speed boat as his owner zigzags across the wakes.

To find out more about Clark Roberts, Arby, Ultimate Vision, and Wags to You: Short & Long Dog Tails, go to www.ultimate-vision.org.

Chris Shafer is the writer and creator of Dog About Town NW, a regional blog that celebrates dog ownership in the great Northwest where outdoor adventures are typically more than a walk in the park.

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