[nagdu] Introduction

[Marion Gwizdala]

Marilyn,
    Welcome to the NAGDU list. It is great to have you here. I read that you 
are an advocate and we need some good experienced advocates in our group, as 
one of our primary initiatives is to act as advocates for those facing 
discrimination because of their choice to use a guide dog. We sponsor the 
NAGDU Information & Advocacy Hotline which not only provides information 
concerning the use of guide dogs, it offers the opportunity to speak with an 
advocate trained to resolve access issues. If you would like to check out 
the hotline, you may do so by calling 888-NAGDU411 (888-624-3841) or 
813-658-5749. (The 813 number saves us the toll charges.) We also have a 
NAGDU division in New York. Margo Downey, the NYAGDU president, is on this 
list. I hope you enjoy your time here and look forward to hearing from you 
often!

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala, President
National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU)
National Federation of the Blind
813-626-2789
President at NAGDU.ORG
HTTP://WWW.NAGDU.ORG

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "marilyn" <t21114 at optonline.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2011 11:21 AM
Subject: [nagdu] Introduction


> Hi Everyone,
> My name is Marilyn and I have a guide dog named Anna. She is from GDF.
> I work as an Independent Living Skills Specialist doing Advocacy/Outreach. 
> I also run a support group at my agency for people with all disabilities. 
> I  teach disabled teenagers for a local high school Independent Living 
> Skills during the school year for one morning a week. I am a Lion and 
> volunteer for the NY Organ donor Network.  Tomorrow I am going to Rhode 
> Island for a few days. I am on vacation for this week and part of next. 
> Today i am getting together with 18 friends . Most are blind but we have a 
> few sighted coming. I go to a social group out east on Long Island on 
> Mondays so I don't work that day unless there is something special going 
> on at my agency. A new blind support group has formed  in our county. I 
> was there guest speaker . Right now I am taking on a cause trying to keep 
> Talking Books on Long Island. they want to send 4,000 patrons from here to 
> Manhattan who already can't handle there own patrons. I have a petition 
> going around and last week had over 800 signatures.
> we will be doing some media coverage in Sept. to bring more attention to 
> this. Some people told me I am wasting my time but you don't know until 
> you try. This all came about because a blind veteran called my agency and 
> said no one cares. I said I care.
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/blind411%40verizon.net