[COAGDU] Colorado Association of Guide Dog Users

Wed Jan 23 19:35:01 UTC 2019

Thanks, Ellie, as always for your enthusiastic response. With respect to confidentiality, you make a very good point. I will draft a flier which we can all use. That said, if members who do not have some kind of official relationship with folks would like to send me names or contact info I would be happy to receive it. There is always a balance. If I meet someone who has a guide dog at a picnic I don't mind turning a name and number over to our team. On the other hand, if there is an understanding that some confidentiality is in order we need to respect that and do our best to get the info into the hands of folks for mutual benefit.

I keep thinking I will walk in a race with Onyx. But, in that kind of crowd it is difficult to keep her on task. She could definitely keep up with the fastest walkers and slowest runners over several miles but I couldn't. Moreover, her guide work is below par when we travel in a crowd. I was at the women's march last Saturday. We were two thirds of the way to the back. It absolutely drove her crazy! She just wanted to plunge ahead through the crowd. When walking sighted guide with Senator Lee I had her on leash. No matter. She about ripped my left arm out of it's socket. She just gets distracted and hyper at events such as that.

I love the notion of some kind of shaded attended space for participants who need a space for their dogs. Perhaps we could get that sponsored by a school or some other provider. "The PetSmart Guide Dog Space." "The Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation Water Station"...

Anyway, I am down. I am in.

I think we should look at three major guide dog efforts this year.

  1.  Significant participation at 6 Dot Dash.
  2.  Some kind of outreach info event at State Convention.
  3.  Outreach to folks who have guide dogs. The intention would be to double our COAGDU membership by 2020.

[Kevan's signature]
Kevan Worley
303-929-2369

From: COAGDU <coagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Ellie Carlson via COAGDU
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2019 11:31 AM
To: kevan at nfbco.org; Melissa Green <graduate56 at juno.com>; coagdu at nfbnet.org
Cc: Ellie Carlson <rambleonle at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [COAGDU] Colorado Association of Guide Dog Users

Fantastic thoughts Kevan, thank you for offering your time and talents as proposed!!

Outreach is a hot topic, of course we all know people who would benefit from COAGDU fellowship and the division would thrive with the participation of more/new members. With respect to confidentiality, we may need to create a flyer or email that can be forwarded on to each of our contact lists, rather than giving people's contact information over to you. NOT suggesting that you are some creeper planning to steal their identity or stalk them, just being mindful of the best practice way of disseminating information, wink! For this approach to be successful though, EVERYONE on this list MUST TAKE ACTION and forward the info along to those they know. Phone tree, chain-mail, pyramid scheme type of ripple effect that no one inspired Little Red Hen leader can do - this is absolutely a group effort and a therefore a group success (or group failure). Who is in??

6 dot Dash was GREAT last year!! I ran as a guide and thought everything was very well-organized, safe, great giveaways, and fun. I did notice a few people started running with their guide dog, then realized their dog wasn't able to keep up or keep on task, so they handed it off to a race marshall for safe keeping and picked them up on the route back. I wonder if having a designated shaded area with crates or capable spectators willing to supervise guide dogs during the run would be helpful? I would be happy to take the lead on that and have added 6/29 to my calendar to be there!!

Announcement: I know I can be at 6 Dot Dash and potentially other COAGDU events because as of April 7th I am resigning my full-time position and resuming my private practice, Canines and Canes, and can set my own schedule!!! It is exciting to be an independent contractor again and have the flexibility to work with guide dog users from ALL schools and resume teaching O&M as well as being a Support Service Provider for individuals who are Deaf-Blind as well. A freelance GDMI is how most of you met me, and a role I have sorely missed over the past year and a half.

I hear that the state convention will be back on Fort Collins October 2019 - woot woot!! Absolutely let me know how I can be helpful with planning and implementing the event since I live right here in Fort Fun. Excited to see what the new year brings FORWARD! Take care & keep in touch.

With gratitude,
Ellie

________________________________
From: kevan at nfbco.org<mailto:kevan at nfbco.org> <kevan at nfbco.org<mailto:kevan at nfbco.org>>
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2019 4:51 PM
To: Melissa Green; coagdu at nfbnet.org<mailto:coagdu at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Colorado Association of Guide Dog Users

Greetings COAGDU leadership team,

I am sorry that I cannot be on your conference call in January. But, I do have a few brief thoughts I would like to share.

  1.  Now that I am managing our Project Literacy programs, I would like us to think about how best to incorporate our guide dog teams into the effort. Can I help and support COAGDU in leading the development of a robust outreach effort of some kind this year? There are many guide dog users who are not members of our Federation. We can use them in our work. They can use the Federation to their benefit. We need to develop the strategy and do the work to find all of the guide dog users in Colorado. Ideas? Would you each be willing to send me contact information, as much as you have, for anyone you can think of who is a guide dog user or working in the guide dog industry?
  2.  The second item is the 6 Dot Dash on June 29. We have been cordially invited to participate in a way that raises the profile of COAGDU and those who benefit from our wonderful dogs. How can I be of help? What would you guys like to do for the event? We could sponsor a water station. We could make water available for humans and dogs. We should get a pet store, guide dog school, or veterinarian to sponsor the 6 Dot Dash. What would you guys like to do? I will help.
  3.  As we think about outreach, we could do another great seminar or we could hold a shorter event, like a luncheon or something. Don't know quite what that would look like but we should visit about it if you are interested.

Team, these are my thoughts. I would truly love to be a part of moving our COAGDU division to the next level. I look forward to your thoughts and my collaboration with you all.

At Your Service,

[cid:image001.png at 01CDBC37.7997B120]

Kevan Worley

Manager, Project Literacy

303-929-2369

www.nfbco.org<http://www.nfbco.org>

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