[FLAGDU] FW: My Letter of Resignation

Debbie crystalbay at verizon.net
Wed Mar 10 14:34:24 UTC 2021 

You know I'm in!
Debbie

-----Original Message-----
From: FLAGDU [mailto:flagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of MARION GWIZDALA via FLAGDU
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2021 4:43 PM
To: Florida Association of Guide Dog Users <flagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: MARION GWIZDALA <merrys at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [FLAGDU] FW: My Letter of Resignation

Anyone interested in a good old fashion protest, give me a call at 813-625-1850. However, we will not be using the national Federation of the blind’s name in this protest!


Merry C. schoch,LCSW

> On Mar 9, 2021, at 4:07 PM, Merry Schoch via FLAGDU <flagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Debbie,
> Since the policy is if you are a member of a guide Dog division, state division, you’re automatically a member of the national division. To make a statement I sent an email to nag dues president at president at nagatea.org and ask them to remove me from nag do the membership role. This way I am still a member of flag do but not a nag do! I also copy the national president at office of the president.org. No spaces in between office of the president. Others are more than welcome to do the same!
> 
> With warmest regards, Mdrry
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
>> On Mar 9, 2021, at 10:50 AM, Debbie Hietala via FLAGDU <flagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Marion, instead of you resigning, you should ask for the resignation of the
>> current National Guide Dog Users.   You are too much of an asset for us to
>> loose you.  It is not like you not to put up a fight for all of us.
>> 
>> Respectfully
>> Debbie Hietala
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: FLAGDU <flagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Marion Gwizdala 
>> via FLAGDU
>> Sent: Monday, March 8, 2021 5:27 PM
>> To: NFB of Florida Tampa Chapter List <nfbf-tampa at nfbnet.org>; NFB of 
>> Florida Tampa Chapter List <nfbf-tampa at nfbnet.org>; 
>> nfbf-leaders at nfbnet.org; flagdu at nfbnet.org
>> Cc: Marion Gwizdala <marion.gwizdala at verizon.net>
>> Subject: [FLAGDU] 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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> 
> 
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