[nagdu] GDF and NAGDU conventions

[Janice Toothman]

Jenine,
What does GDUI stand for?
Janice

On 4/22/2012 6:40 PM, Jenine Stanley wrote:
> Julie,
>
>
> Let me give you a little more info on the exhibiting factors that lead to
> GDF decisions anyway regarding conventions.
>
> We have not had a booth at the ACB convention for many years. The primary
> reason is that their exhibit hall hours are much longer over a longer span
> of time than at NFB and we simply do not have the staff to man a booth and
> take part in the activities of the guide dog affiliate, GDUI, which demand
> volunteers from te schools to help with various events.
>
> I'm the GDUI Program Chair this year so I can say things about them.<grin>
>
> We do, however, hope to have a booth at the NFB convention even though the
> cost is more, primarily because we like how the exhibit hall is organized
> and run and that this is an audience we have been neglecting for some time.
> As you see from my earlier note, that's paid off in the number of people
> referred to us through NFB and NAGDU.
>
> I personally like the dedicated exhibit hall times at NFB as it gives me
> time to attend the NAGDU functions without having to worry about a booth and
> as I'm the one responsible for said booth, that matters a lot.<grin>
>
> The ACB exhibit hall is very crowded all week, which is fine but again, we
> find that we reach more people by walking around, talking to people, helping
> them with various things around the hotel, etc.
>
> We also have found fewer graduates attending ACB conventions, especially
> when held in western states. Some day this balance may swing again, but I
> really think that having different strategies for each type of convention,
> even the state ones, is important. As long as people know how and where to
> find us, That's what really matters.
>
> Jenine Stanley
> jeninems at wowway.com
> http://www.twitter.com/jeninems
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Julie J.
> Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2012 6:10 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] GDF and NAGDU conventions
>
> 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
>
>
>
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