[nagdu] A Message from a Fidelco Volunteer

Sat Aug 20 22:38:50 UTC 2011

Tracy,

It seems odd indeed. It also sounds very familiar to me based on what I
have experienced here in Oregon when it comes to the VR agency. Asking
questions or presenting documentation of my own case with a question
about having the behaviors looked into does not go without risks. Well,
for me, the threat that I won't get VR services if I'm going to go
around asking questions and wondering if anyone might want to
investigate some of those trends is not as daunting as it appears to be
meant. So, let's see... You're saying that nothing will change for me at
all... Um, wow, I'm shaking in my boots now for sure. Good grief!

I haven't yet managed to figure out what is going on that enables the
administration of the agency to carry on as they always have, even since
they were closed down for mismanagement, then given a last minute
reprieve. My career experience has been in corporate. Failing that badly
there gets you canned before you get to write your response to the audit
your company or division or department just failed. You don't get to
stay in the administrative position and keep writing exactly the same
winy (as I read it) response to 30 plus more years' worth of audits
failed for the same reasons. The Board of Directors will see to that!
Well, apparently not in the state of Oregon when it comes to taxpayer
funded agencies. We need to protect the people involved, so no
questions, no complaining. Go away, because you're the one who sucks!
And we'll tell you why! 

Well, with our agency, a suit does seemto  have managed to get filed in
court, with an article in the Oregonian and everything! It's the vendors
doing it, and while I'm not involved with that program myself, I have
been following what I read on local lists and news because they are
experiencing the same patterns of behavior on the part of the agency
that I have been asking people to look into. They, as a group, have
gotten the same feedback. They need to be less angry. They need to keep
losing money because it is more important o protect the agency
administration. And so on.

Anyway, as a group, they have more power than any individual. So I am
thrilled they went ahead with llegal action and went to the press first
instead of talking to people who have already not gotten results. I
guess there is a working group trying to improve communications with the
Oregon Commission for the Blind... Not to denigrate anyone involved in
that effort or their intelligence or dedication or anything at all, but
it seems to me that when one side communicates what the agency has been
communicating all along, and in the way they have been, and has such a
long history of stated refusal to change a thing, well... I tend to
think communicating directly to the taxpayers who are paying the
administration's salaries is a good way to go.

So with a situation like the one with Fidelco. When communication is
barred by one of the parties, then you have to find another way to find
out what's going on and if something needs to be fixed before you can
start to decide how to go about fixing it if it does. So you widen your
communications net. /smile/

Sounds like Marion caught some fish, who have caught more fish. When I
say Marion, I mean him in his role as NAGDU President. So, yeah, we're
all sort of fishing right there with him. For my part, I would be
thrilled if it turns out he -- and thus we -- have all been hoodwinked,
that there was a misunderstanding because, I dunno, a whole lot of nuts
up and took after this one program and this one new hire in particular
for no really good reason.

Until we do find that out -- if we do -- I'm pretty proud to know that I
am part of an advocacy group; that advocates for the consumer, both by
standing with and working on behalf of consumers who believe they have
been badly mistreated and on behalf of future consumers by providing
enough information that they can consider it or not. 

As for those who don't want to come forward with their own stories in
their own names... If you don't get why they won't do that, try it
yourself. Then we'll discuss it again. You might think differently about
the matter. /smile/

Tami
On Sat, 2011-08-20 at 10:39 -0400, Tracy Carcione wrote: 
> It seems very odd to me that, in times when every non-profit is scrambling
> for money, that Fidelco should casually tell long-time supporters that
> their donations are no longer welcome.  It also seems odd that the board
> would not at least investigate when it seems like the actions of one man
> are damaging the reputation of their organization.  I'd think that either
> they have, and are satisfied, or the old boy network is doing its worst,
> as sometimes happens.
> But I'd think, if they're losing donors, they'd drop the guy causing the
> perceived problem, guilty or not.
> Tracy
> 
> 
> > Dear All,
> >     I have frequently referred to correspondence I have received from
> > others concerned about the direction of Fidelco. Some believe that I
> > exaggerate the concerns, alleging that my criticism of Fidelco is
> > designed to, in some way, further my political agenda. For this
> > reason, I thought it would be helpful to read what others have written
> > on the subject. Pasted below is correspondence I have received from
> > one volunteer. I have included the message in its entirety, redacting
> > only the individuals names, since I do not have their permission to
> > divulge their information. This message was received via email on June
> > 30, 2011.
> >
> > Mr. Gwizdala:
> >
> > We are writing you with regard to your posting and article in the April
> > 2011 Braille Monitor.  We are not visually impaired but have been active
> > volunteers and donors to the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation for over 22
> > years.  We housed a breed dog, raised a foster pup, volunteered in the
> > kennel and puphouse areas and participated in numerous events over the
> > years as well as knowing both Charlie and Robbie Kaman.
> >
> > We followed your posting and article with interest as we have witnessed
> > widespread negative  (in our opinion) change in the organization we loved
> > and supported for so many years.  On June 10, 2011, we wrote a letter to
> > all of the members of Fidelco's Board of Directors (mailed to their homes)
> > outlining several areas of concern. We asked only that the Board undertake
> > its own independent research and fact finding within the organization. One
> > of the areas of concern was what we perceived to be a deterioration in the
> > reputation of Fidelco within the visually-impaired community.  We actually
> > enclosed a copy of your original posting and your April 2011 Braille
> > Monitor item as one of the exhibits in our letter.
> >
> > Please understand that we do not have any personal knowledge of the
> > training department, placement decisions or decisions regarding the
> > repossession of guide dogs from handlers.  We will tell you however, that
> > our letter outlining what we felt were legitimate, documented observations
> > and concerns was met with a return certified letter to us from Mr. Russman
> > stating that "The Board also has asked me to convey that, based on your
> > expressed dissatisfaction with Fidelco, it believes it to be in everyone's
> > best interest that you cease all activity with Fidelco including volunteer
> > efforts and financial donations."  Until receipt of that letter, {my wife}
> > had been spending 1/2 day per week volunteering in the Puppy Raiser
> > Department at Mr. Russman's request.
> >
> > In our case, what we felt were well-thought-out feedback and concerns
> > brought forward in a professional, documented way were summarily dismissed
> > by management and the Board of Directors and resulted in our "dismissal"
> > as volunteers and donors.  We have personally been approached by
> > employees, puppy raisers and those housing breed dogs who will not come
> > forward with concerns or questions fearing that their dogs will be taken
> > from them.
> >
> > In short, Mr. Gwizdala, sadly you could not have made a more valid comment
> > than "the Fidelco of 2005 is not the same Fidelco with which we are
> > dealing today".  We just thought you should know that unfortunately,  your
> > astute observation appears to us to apply across the board within the
> > Fidelco organization.  We are greatly saddened by this development.
> >
> >     So, there you have it from someone else's perspective. This writer has
> > been the victim of retaliation when the only agenda was to ask some
> > questions in an effort to improve the organization.
> >
> > Fraternally yours,
> > Marion Gwizdala
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > 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/carcione%40access.net
> >
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 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/tamara.8024%40comcast.net