[nagdu] GDF and NAGDU conventions

[Julie J.]

I have been to both NFB and ACB national conventions.  At the NFB 
conventions I have been to there are generally a handful of the guide 
dog program reps there.  It is usually the larger schools, unless the 
convention is geographically very close to a smaller program's main 
offices.  When I was at the ACB national convention last year, I think 
there was a booth in the exhibit hall for just about every program 
available.  There were definitely many more than at the NFB conventions.

So I asked myself why this might be?  On the surface it might look like 
there is more agreement with ACB so that's why more of the programs 
attend that convention.  But I don't think so.  I think a larger 
percentage of blind people at the ACB conventions are interested in 
working with a guide dog.  If you only have so many advertising dollars, 
it makes sense to use them where you are going to get the most out of them.

I've talked with a lot of program representatives over the years.  I can 
honestly say that what we talked about wasn't much different based on 
whether I was at one of the NFB conventions or the ACB convention I 
attended.   The guide dog program employees talk about dogs, dog 
training and what they have to offer.  After all the guide dog programs 
are businesses.   They are providing trained dogs to blind people, not 
entering into philosophical debates.

Sure I do think that there are employees within the various guide dog 
programs that are NFB or ACB members and promote their personal beliefs 
purposefully or incidentally through their employment, but I do not 
think that any of the guide dog programs as a whole favors one 
organization over another.

JMHO
Julie