[BlindTlk] FW: My Letter of Resignation

Tue Mar 9 02:51:12 UTC 2021

Hello,

	His letter saying he and NAGDU cared is not enough.

Peter Donahue

-----Original Message-----
From: BlindTlk <blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of CHELA Robles via BlindTlk
Sent: Monday, March 8, 2021 4:51 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: CHELA Robles <cdrobles693 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [BlindTlk] FW: My Letter of Resignation

Well I did read the letter from Raul Gallego‘s sorry if I’m spelling it wrong and I’m sure he’s probably on this list but he did forward a letter and I’m not a part of NAGDU but he did express that he cared about the situation from what I’ve read.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 8, 2021, at 2:47 PM, Sherri Brun via BlindTlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Marion, this person apparently lived in the Central Florida area.  I 
> do not read every e-mail, but I am certainly able to be contacted.  I 
> would have definitely pursued this.  No one needs to be treated like a 
> third-class citizen by any guide dog school, whether they claim to 
> retain ownership of the dog or not.  I cannot believe a school would 
> take a dog away from someone without warning.  And four pounds 
> overweight, that is a completely subjective ruling.
> 
> I am sorry you have felt it necessary to resign from NFB and from the 
> Florida Association of Guide Dog users.  The organization still needs 
> your voice.
> 
> Sherri
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: BlindTlk <blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Marion 
> Gwizdala, via BlindTlk
> Sent: Monday, March 8, 2021 5:28 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>; blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Marion Gwizdala, <blind411 at verizon.net>
> Subject: [BlindTlk] FW: My Letter of Resignation
> Importance: High
> 
> President Riccobono,
> 
> 
> 
>                On April 22, 2020, Southeastern Guide Dogs forcibly 
> removed the guide dog of les Demers, a member of the Tampa bay chapter 
> of the National Federation of the Blind of florida and the Florida 
> Association of guide Dog users. As president of the National 
> Association of Guide Dog Users, I have had several calls relating 
> similar instances in which Southeastern abruptly and without warning, 
> without evidence of abuse or neglect, and without due process forcibly 
> removed a guide dog from its blind handler. On March 5, 2021, I 
> received a call from Rev. susan Blake, a blind Episcopal priest in the 
> diocese of Orlando, stating that Southeastern Guide dogs showed up at 
> her residence unannounced on March 4, 2021 and forcibly removed her dog because it "looks like it is about four pounds overweight".
> I immediately contacted Raul Gallegos whose first reaction was "I need 
> to contact Southeastern." He seemed unconcerned about this abusive, 
> undignified, unethical, and immoral behavior and contacting Rev. Blake 
> was an afterthought. President Gallegos has Rev. Blake's contact 
> information and, as of the date of this writing, has not reached out to Rev. Blake.
> 
> 
> 
>                The board of directors of the National Association of 
> Guide dog Users met to discuss the incident concerning Mr. Demers and 
> chose to not pursue this case. If they had, perhaps Rev. Blake would still have her dog!
> 
> 
> 
> I have held various elected leadership positions with the National 
> Federation of the blind since 1987. Since 2004, I have served on the 
> board of directors of the National Association of Guide dog Users, 
> including assuming the presidency by succession in 2007 and elected to 
> the presidency in 2008. I have dedicated my life to protecting the 
> rights of guide dog users and have invested countless hours and 
> financial assets in the organization, believing it was the best avenue 
> for change in the manner in which guide dog users are treated. If you 
> were to ask any active member of NAGDU what the primary focus of my 
> administration was, most would say "Ownership upon completion of 
> training". We discussed ownership during nearly every meeting and I 
> frequently questioned those training programs with ownership policies 
> other than full and complete ownership after completion of training as 
> to their rationale for such paternalistic policies. Their 
> justifications for these policies were as paternalistic as the policies themselves!
> 
> 
> 
> It is very apparent the National Federation of the Blind and the 
> current administration of the National Association of Guide dog users 
> is not interested in protecting the rights and dignity of blind guide 
> dog consumers. I cannot, in good conscience, continue to serve and 
> support an organization that disregards the basic fundamental rights 
> of blind consumers. Effective immediately, I am resigning my 
> membership in the National Federation of the Blind and the National 
> Association of Guide Dog Users. This will also serve to resign my 
> elected offices as president of the Florida Association of Guide dog 
> Users and the board of directors of the Tampa Bay chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of florida.
> 
> 
> 
> Respectfully submitted,
> 
> Marion Gwizdala
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Marion Gwizdala
> 
> (813) 626-2789
> 
> Marion.Gwizdala at verizon.net <mailto:Marion.Gwizdala at verizon.net>
> 
> 
> 
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