[nagdu] rejected by the lions club?

Sun May 2 22:58:18 UTC 2010

Oh, I forgot to add that I have recently been the guest speaker for both 
local Lions meetings.  I was there to talk about training my own guide dog. 
I was invited to join about a year ago and finally decided to join this past 
week.  As of Tuesday I guess I'm a member.  I don't know how my views on 
things will fit in with the Lions, but I'm willing to give it a go.

The local club here seems to be decent people who have been very respectful 
of my choice to owner train.  However I haven't asked them to contribute in 
any way either.  It might also make a difference that I live in a very small 
town where everyone knows everyone.  My husband's family is well established 
as decent upstanding citizens and I married into that, so by default I 
become a decent upstanding citizen! *smile*  Just how small towns work.  In 
this case I think it works in my favor.  You never get as much support for 
anything if you are an outsider.

Just some random thoughts while I procrastinate cleaning the kitchen,
Julie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Albert J Rizzi" <albert at myblindspot.org>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 02, 2010 4:31 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] rejected by the lions club?

> Well, first we have someone who understands some of what goes into some
> people's choices  in their options for mobility. We also have another
> misinformed individual who knows nothing of the handlers who prefer to 
> owner
> train their dogs. We also have a person who has a strong affiliation with 
> a
> school that the Lion's Club committed raises funds for. So, perhaps there 
> is
> an opportunity to educate miss rosemary on the fact that some people are
> very adept at training their dogs and that as a president of a chapter she
> needs to be better informed before she offers advice or as I have
> interpreted the tone, condemnation for those who choose to owner train. I
> would be happy to suggest forwarding this email to our lion's list serve 
> and
> ask them their opinion, and I would even offer to write her, for I myself 
> am
> a lion and would welcome the opportunity of opening her eyes to the truths
> about guides and options with everything that is Lionism. She is just
> unaware and ignorant of what is possible in this regard, and may obviously
> be getting her skewed  opinion  from the organization  which she and her
> club give so much money to and get so much publicity from for doing so.
>
> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
> CEO/Founder
> My Blind Spot, Inc.
> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
> New York, New York  10004
> www.myblindspot.org
> PH: 917-553-0347
> Fax: 212-858-5759
> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
> doing it."
>
>
> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Jessica Pitzer
> Sent: Sunday, May 02, 2010 3:53 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: [nagdu] rejected by teh lions club?
>
> Hi all,
> following is an email I received in response to an email I sent to my
> local lions club about asking for help with some of the costs of owner
> training. I'm.. not quite sure how to feel right now except baffled as
> we have some many owner trainers and I just embarked on this journey
> myself.
> Thoughts?
> On 5/2/10, Rosemary Richert <rosemary at richertnet.com> wrote:
>> Hi Bert,
>>
>> It is highly unusual, and questionably irresponsible, for someone to 
>> train
>> their own guide dog.  The state only recognizes service animals which 
>> have
>> been professionally trained.  Any other such dogs may be banned from
> places
>> which would otherwise allow access to service animals.  Necessary 
>> training
>> of the dog is very comprehensive and time consuming.  And, subsequently,
>> training of the blind person with the dog is, also, very comprehensive 
>> and
>> time consuming.  For the person's training, alone, three weeks of on-site
>> training with the animal determined best suited to their needs is
> required.
>> The blind person needs to prove their orientation and mobility skills
> before
>> even being accepted into a training program.  Without proof of the
> adequacy
>> of those skills, they will not be accepted.
>>
>> I served on the Board of Directors of Leader Dogs for the Blind for four
>> years, and am the person who convinced the facility to become trainers 
>> for
>> the blind/deaf community...to the best of my knowledge, it remains the
> only
>> facility with qualified instructors of deaf/blind individuals.  I tell 
>> you
>> this, so that you may understand that I have a credible background in
> these
>> matters, and know whereof I speak.  I would strongly caution your Lions
>> club, or any other Lions club, about considering involvement with a 
>> person
>> who thinks they can train a guide dog for the blind on their own.
>> Involvement under such circumstances could come back to haunt an 
>> otherwise
>> well-meaning club.  It would make much more sense for this person to be
>> screened as to qualifications; and, if qualified, be sponsored to a
>> recognized service do training program.
>>
>> Thank you for your kind consideration.
>>
>>
>>
>> God bless.
>>
>>
>>
>> With Lionism at Heart, C
>>
>>
>>
>> PDG Rosemary
>
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