[nagdu] PA chapter

[Passle Helminski]

Hi Marion,

When are we going to have the phone call to set up a PA chapter?
Passle

>Marsha,
>    Thank you very much for the update. I am pleased that I was able 
>to be of assistance to you and that the trip was such a huge 
>success. I am also encouraged by your statements about the level of 
>support you received from your classmates and instructor, even 
>though he was a bit anxious about it all!
>    Another effect of this issue is that we have made an excellent 
>contact with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office and had the 
>opportunity to educate the Assistant AG over the Civil Rights 
>Division on some issues of service animal use. I sent him some 
>documents and he has already given them to the Attorney General. I 
>discussed with him our resolution and he told me he was supportive 
>of it. Now we need to get a division organized in Penn. and begin 
>working on it!
>
>Fraternally yours,
>Marion Gwizdala
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Marsha Drenth" <marsha.drenth at gmail.com>
>To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog 
>Users'" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Saturday, October 23, 2010 10:37 PM
>Subject: [nagdu] once in a lifetime trip to jail
>
>>Hi All,
>>
>>My trip to Jail happened. It was a once in a life time sort of trip. Emma
>>was the most well behaved dog ever, and no one at the prison gave us any
>>trouble. My professor was a worry wart about it on the way there, mainly
>>that the general message that I was permitted in, had not reached the prison
>>it self. We met with 4 inmates, who share their stories with us. We were
>>also able to ask questions, as well have a tour of the prison. It was in
>>total about a 2 mile walk around. On the way there, my professor and I
>>shared the access issue with them all, and every single one of them was
>>behind me. And knew that even though, granted a small chance, once we
>>arrived, I could still be denied, told me later, that they would have stayed
>>behind with me, to protest the injustice. I made some great friends from the
>>trip with the students. And of course not only did I learn a lot but they
>>did too. I am so happy I got to go, now I know what it was like, I would
>>have been missing out on a incredible experience. I not only educated the
>>prison system, but the other students, and my professor. I have to write up
>>a paper for my political science class, and will use that as a journal
>>entry. Once I get that done, if anyone wants to read, I will email it to
>>them directly.
>>
>>Thank you, to all of you for the support. Thank you, to Marion, for working
>>hard to help the state change their minds.
>>
>>If I can stress anything to anyone about this trip. Yes all that was
>>involved in me actually being able to go, was stressful. Yes, I had to make
>>a big stink about it. Yes I stood up for my rights. But see there in that,
>>is what it really means to change what it means to be blind. My professor,
>>learned more about me and blindness and generally about guide dogs. The
>>college learned, that blind people can visit a prison on a field trip. I
>>showed the prison system, about civil rights, and about blindness. I showed
>>the students about civil rights, standing up for those rights, and a
>>invaluable amount of information about blindness and guide dogs. Before all
>>of those people had different ideas of a blind person, about guide dogs, and
>>maybe about me. Now they do not, and little old me, has changed those
>>thoughts. Wow it is incredible what I have done. Never did I think I was
>>ever going to be put into such a position. But as blind people, as guide dog
>>users, we have/must/should to fight, stand up for our rights every single
>>day. So its just all in a days work LOL
>>
>>Marsha
>>
>>
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>>
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>
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