Chamber of Commerce golf tournament benefits the blind

On one of the occasions Montreal Canadiens hockey legend Guy Lafleur visited the MIRA foundation, he was shown exactly what the world was like for the blind. With a blindfold pulled over his eyes, he would have likely stumbled around bumping into things, he said, if it were not for the guide dog accompanying him. "Good thing the dog was there," Lafleur recalled with a laugh last Thursday evening at a cocktail held inside the Elm Ridge Country Club after the West Island Chamber of Commerce's 30th annual charity golf tournament.

As the guest of honour this year, Lafleur was given the choice of which charity to award a part of the proceeds raised during the evening to, and MIRA was an easy choice for him. "It's really hard to be blind," Lafleur said, "and that's why we decided to give a part of the profits (from the tournament) to MIRA."

MIRA, the Spanish equivalent for the verb "look," is a non-profit organization that has been training guide dogs for the blind since 1987, and have more recently started training dogs for autistic children as well, according to organization spokesperson Simon Melrose.

Melrose walked around the country club with one of the organization's semi-retired stars last Thursday, a black Laberneese (blend of Labrador and Burneese) named, appropriately, Caddy, who obediently followed his master and patiently posed to be petted by curious onlookers. "We survive on donations," Melrose explained, adding he was very happy with Lafleur's choice. According to Melrose, every single one of the dogs trained by the organization costs $20 000 each, and there are no charges to applicants who receive the dog, provided they pass an application process. "Anything would be good," Melrose said, when asked if he knew what amount the organization would receive that evening. <@Ri>The Chronicle<@p> later found out the amount was $2200.

The Chamber's director-general Andrée Bélanger was delighted with how the evening went, and a little star-struck with Lafleur's presence. "He's given so much to the people, and now I feel like we are giving back to him," she said.

A fan of his since her childhood days, Bélanger said it was her idea to lobby for Lafleur as guest of honour this year, and she succeeded thanks to Desjardins, which contacted the retired hockey star. However, Bélanger highlighted the hard work of the entire Chamber for the evening's success, as well as that of partners such as Desjardins.

Guests at the golf tournament included The Chronicle and Cités-Nouvelles publisher Denis Therrien, Pointe Claire Mayor Bill McMurchie and some council members, members of Pierrefonds/Roxboro borough's council, Jacques Cartier riding provincial Liberal MNA Geoff Kelley, as well as Pierrefonds/Dollard Conservative Party candidate Pierre-Olivier Brunelle.