[il-talk] Fw: [Travelandtourism] Good morning all something not very happywith over at COSTCO on Monday

Wed Feb 22 13:52:00 UTC 2012

FYI!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steven Johnson" <blinddog3 at charter.net>
To: "'NFB Travel and Tourism Division List'" <travelandtourism at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 7:36 AM
Subject: Re: [Travelandtourism] Good morning all something not very 
happywith over at COSTCO on Monday


> Cheryl, very interesting.  Although they may be indeed private, they do 
> not
> have exclusive membership as we both know as anyone from the public can
> become a member if they choose.  This is much like Sam's Club, and related
> big box membership stores.  Oh, I can't wait to hear what happens.  Thanks
> for the update.  And, this folks is why we need to work with our State 
> NAGDU
> Divisions along with the National Leadership.
>
> Kind regards,
> Steve Johnson, WAGDU President (Wisconsin)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: travelandtourism-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:travelandtourism-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of cheryl 
> echevarria
> Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 6:54 AM
> To: travelandtourism; nyagdu
> Subject: [Travelandtourism] Good morning all something not very happy with
> over at COSTCO on Monday
>
>
>
>
>
> I am posting this to not only the NYAGDU (NY State Division of the 
> National
> Association of Guide Dog Users), but also to the Travel and Tourism
> Division), both proud divisions of the National Federation of the Blind.
> Traveling is also traveling with accessible entrance to all locations, 
> with
> cane, sighted guide, as well as, guide dog, or other forms of mobility 
> that
> one is comfortable with.
> This past Monday, Presidents Day, Nelson, Maxx (my guide  dog) and myself,
> did our bi-monthly shopping of Costco, if some of you do not know what
> COSTCO is, it is one of the those membership stores where you buy in bulk,
> we don't buy a lot because it is the 2 of us, and I also buy dog food 
> there.
> We have been members of Costco for over 12 years.
> When we entered the store after showing our membership card, the lady at 
> the
> door, asked to see my dogs certification paperwork.
> Now for those who are not blind and do not know the ADA laws, first there 
> is
> no  paperwork for a guide dog, and certified, just no such thing.  The
> schools must be licensed just like any other business, in fact, some train
> there own guide dogs, so this statement that the lady made, was incorrect,
> also the training for the dog makes it a guide dog.
> From there, I said that I am just going to speak to the store's manager,
> since I had been in this situation prior, but the manager always 
> apologized
> for the incorrect way the person talk to me, and also that the employees
> didn't know better.
> That day was different, the manager, told me that it was correct that I 
> need
> to show paperwork on my dog that he is a guide dog, now, I am standing in
> front of him with dark glasses that blind people wear, and guide dog in
> harness.
> I stated that there is no such  thing, what makes the dog a guide dog, or
> for anyone else that is disabled, is the disability and the training that
> the dog gets to be a service animal, he proceeded to tell me that others
> have shown him this paperwork, again, what paperwork. I stated not only am 
> I
> a graduate of the Guide Dog Foundation of Smithtown, that was less then 5
> minutes away from this location, but that I am a member of that National
> Association of Guide Dog Users, a proud division of the National 
> Federation
> of the Blind, and we are one of the organizations that help make and 
> enforce
> the ADA laws pertaining to this.  He basically almost called me a liar, he
> said that I am not going to continue the conversation.
> He did not tell me I had to leave, but I want to the customer service desk
> with my husband to get the corporate phone number, I tried to call on my
> cell phone while I was there, but the reception was really bad, and so we
> did shop, and then when we got home I made the calls.
> My first was to customer service, the young lady on the phone that her
> immediate supervisor said that was the policy of Costco to ask for the
> paperwork, she gave me his name, I was writing all of this down, so that I
> could give to Marion Gwizdala, President of NAGDU, and Margo Downey,
> President of the NY affiliate of NAGDU (NYAGDU).
> I was then given the number to call for the legal department, when I did
> this they said that I couldn't speak to anyone but that I was given the 
> name
> of the Regional Vice President of the Area.  I called him, and he was not
> there, so I left him a detailed message.
> Within a half and hour, the General Manager, at the store that I went to,
> called me back, and it sounded like he was forced to apologize to me, he
> didn't realize that I left the store, or the fact that I was actually 
> blind.
> I informed him, that I never left the store, but went to get the phone
> numbers that I needed, and did shop.  He began to make excuses for 
> himself,
> that he was following training procedures, and that he said, that a 
> service
> animal must have a harness on or a blanket, or something indicated that 
> they
> are working dogs. I also corrected him on that  saying, that is not 
> correct,
> I can come into this store without a cape, harness, etc on the dog, and 
> the
> only thing you can ask me is that a working dog/service, guide dog, and 
> what
> service does the dog provide.
> He was very patronizing still.
> I didn't hear from his Vice President until after 5pm when he was in his 
> car
> driving home from work.
> The man kept saying, that is should be obvious that someone is blind and
> common sense, but I stated, not always, I do not always wear my dark
> glasses, not all blind people are totally blind.  There are also some 
> people
> who are not blind that use a service animal, children that are autistic,
> diabetic, seizure, deaf, etc.  It is not always a characteristic of the
> person, to have something that  identifies them as being disabled, and you
> are not allowed to ask the disability either.
> He also said, that he hates enforcing policy, I said it is not costco's
> policy it is the ADA law.  I  was trying to give him our National Hotline
> for NAGDU, and if anyone every has questions about Guide Dogs, ADA, etc, 
> our
> Hotline number is 1-888-NAGDU-411 or 1-888-624-3841, that is how I found 
> out
> he was on his car phone on the way home, he told me that he couldn't take
> the number because he was driving home from work.  Gee, I was really
> important to speak to on this. I mentioned that in NY State it is a civil
> violation of our law, other states have criminal laws in reference to 
> these
> violations.
> After this, I informed the people who needed to know such as Marion and
> Margo.  Mr. Gwizdala, first contact the Costco in his area, and asked 
> there
> policy, he was told basically the same thing, as myself, he also got the
> corporate information, and has been in talks with Costco in Seattle.  It
> seems that they are saying that they are a private organization and that 
> you
> need to pay a membership to go there and that they are outside the ADA.
> FYI, if that is true, which it is not, then I cannot take my dog to my 
> gym,
> it is a private membership, or go to a restaurant you have to pay to eat
> there, or go to a movie or theater.  So that I couldn't go anywhere with 
> my
> dog.
> I would say if you are a guide dog user, or even if you use a service
> animal, and the laws have changed to what kind of animal is considered a
> service dog.
> It cannot be a comfort dog, it cannot be the dog you carry around in your
> pocketbook.  It also must be either a dog, or a guide horse, no cats, 
> birds,
> snakes, monkeys, etc any more.  You must have a valid medical disability
> that you can get one.  So many disabilities and illnesses can qualify for 
> a
> service animal now.
> Stayed tuned for more
> Leading the Way in Independent Travel!
>
> Cheryl Echevarria
> http://www.echevarriatravel.com
> 631-456-5394
> reservations at echevarriatravel.com
>
> For daily updates read our blog at
> http://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com
>
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