Meeting Challenges--and Winning : Honors: Pamela Polagi, who is blind, has been nominated for a civic award in recognition of her determination in overcoming obstacles.

Pamela Polagi does not give up easily.

When Seffi, her German shepherd and companion for the past nine years, developed back problems, Polagi overruled the vets.

“The doctors wanted to put her to sleep, but I said no,” she said. “Just because she could not be of service as a working dog, I still didn’t want to give her up as a companion. She still had the will to live, and still followed me around.”

Polagi, who is blind, has brought the same attitude to her work as an insurance claims representative at the Automobile Club of Southern California office in Arcadia.

Even though she was reeling from the recent deaths of her parents, Polagi in 1980 mastered a complicated computer system for the blind while the rest of her colleagues were still using typewriters.

Then, four years ago, the insurance claims department shifted all its records to computers, and Polagi had to learn to use equipment compatible with other employees’.

In July, a co-worker nominated Polagi for the eighth annual “Mainstream Milestones” awards sponsored by the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce. The event was established to honor disabled adults in a business or professional occupation, said Catherine Lepone, co-project leader for the awards. Winners will be announced in November.

Sally Brake, assistant manager of the Automobile Club’s Los Angeles district office, said she nominated Polagi because of her determination.

“She succeeded in her challenges, and I admire people that do that,” Brake said.

Polagi, a 37-year-old Temple City resident, has worked for the Automobile Club for 17 years. In 1973, she took a two-week job-training program at the Braille Institute in Los Angeles.

“I told them I wanted to work with people. Back then, blind people usually were placed in a job taking dictation. I didn’t want that.”

The institute paid her a token $100 a month for her work as a receptionist in the sales department of the Automobile Club’s Pasadena office. After seven years, Polagi said, she was ready for more responsibility.

She uses an IBM personal computer that scans accident and injury forms. A voice synthesizer attached to the computer tells Polagi which questions to ask customers. She types the information into the computer, and can print it out on a specially constructed Braille printer.

In her spare time, Polagi and her twin sister, who is also blind, sing at weddings for friends.

“I get by,” she said. “I don’t think I’m great. I’ve never gotten over stage fright. I still have to convince my knees to stop shaking.”